Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on New Media, Segun Dada, has accused former Anambra State governor Peter Obi of politicising Nigeria’s nationwide sports activities groups following an argument over an alleged try to forestall him from greeting members of the Flamingos at an airport.
Dada, in a submit on his X deal with, described makes an attempt to show the incident right into a political controversy as distasteful, insisting that nationwide athletes characterize the whole nation relatively than any political get together or particular person.
His response adopted a submit by Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), wherein he alleged that officers of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) prevented him from greeting members of Nigeria’s Under-17 ladies’s crew shortly after their arrival at an airport.
Obi mentioned he arrived on the airport at about 7 a.m. to board a flight to Enugu when he seen the gamers making ready to board a automobile.
He defined that he requested his Protocol Officer, Jackie Wayas, to search out out whether or not he may greet and welcome the gamers however was subsequently knowledgeable that NFF officers had instructed that he mustn’t method the crew.
According to the previous governor, he was instructed that the officers risked shedding their jobs in the event that they allowed him to work together with the gamers.
Dada, nonetheless, faulted Obi for portraying the incident as political victimisation, arguing that nationwide groups must be protected against partisan pursuits.
He mentioned protocol tips governing nationwide groups have been designed to guard younger athletes from political exploitation, business distractions and pointless media consideration whereas performing official duties.
“Our national athletes, including the Under-17 girls’ team, represent the entire Federal Republic of Nigeria, not any specific political party or individual ambition,” Dada said.
The presidential aide warned that portraying commonplace safety and administrative procedures as political victimisation may undermine the nationwide unity that sports activities have been anticipated to advertise.
He additionally accused Obi of counting on unverified data to advance what he described as a sufferer narrative.
“Mr Peter Obi, I hope you will reflect on your manipulative way of life and stop weaponising unverified hearsay to build a victim narrative,” he mentioned.
Dada urged the previous governor to permit the gamers to focus on their sporting achievements with out being drawn into political disagreements.
“Let our athletes focus on winning for Nigeria, free from political theatre,” he added.
Obi had additionally recalled an identical incident on 25 March 2025, when he attended a FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
He alleged that though the state governor welcomed him on the VIP stand, officers prevented him from greeting the gamers after the match, reportedly out of worry of shedding their jobs.
The former governor described the 2 incidents as proof of what he referred to as an more and more poisonous political setting in Nigeria.
“The new Nigeria we aspire to build must have no room for hostility, intimidation, or discrimination, regardless of political affiliation,” Obi said.
The controversy comes because the Flamingos return to Nigeria following their historic triumph on the 2026 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
Nigeria defeated Japan 2-1 in Saturday’s closing in Rabat to develop into the primary African nation to win the competitors.
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