The Presidency and former presidential aide Bashir Ahmad have criticised the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, over his claim that officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) prevented him from greeting members of the national Under-17 women’s team, the Flamingos.
The reactions followed Obi’s account of an incident at an airport on Monday, when he said NFF officials stopped him from approaching the players, allegedly warning that they could lose their jobs if he greeted the team.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, accused opposition figures of attempting to politicise national sports teams and institutions.
Olusegun maintained that national athletes, including the Flamingos, represented the entire country rather than any political party or individual.
He said protocols governing national teams were intended to protect young athletes from “political exploitation, commercial distractions, and unnecessary media circuses while on official duty”.
The presidential aide described Obi’s account as an attempt to portray standard security and administrative procedures as political victimisation.
“To spin standard security and administrative protocols into a narrative of political victimisation is a disservice to the unity that sport is meant to foster in our country,” he said.
Olusegun also accused the former Anambra State governor of relying on “unverified hearsay” to create a victim narrative, urging him to allow athletes to concentrate on representing the country.
Similarly, Ahmad, the National Director of Media Monitoring and Rapid Response of the City Boy Movement, rejected Obi’s description of the incident as a new dimension of toxic politics.
In his statement, Ahmad argued that being denied access to greet the players did not necessarily amount to political persecution.
“Protocol, security and administrative considerations must have been involved,” he said.
He urged Obi to prioritise facts and responsibility, stressing that Nigeria was greater than any individual or political party.
“A new Nigeria is possible, but not through perpetual political antagonism,” Ahmad added.
Obi had earlier explained that he arrived at the airport on Monday for a flight to Enugu when he noticed the Flamingos preparing to board a vehicle following their arrival in the country.
He alleged that when he attempted to approach the players to congratulate them, NFF officials prevented him from doing so, claiming they risked losing their jobs if they allowed him to greet the team.
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