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, where he alleged that NFF officials stopped him from approaching the players, warning that they could lose their jobs if they allowed him to greet the team.
In a statement, the Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, accused opposition figures of attempting to politicise national sports teams and institutions.
He said national athletes, including the Flamingos, “represent the entire Federal Republic of Nigeria, not any specific political party or individual ambition”.
Olusegun explained that protocol guidelines for national teams were intended to protect young athletes from what he described as political exploitation, commercial distractions and unnecessary media attention while on official duty.
He faulted Obi for presenting what he described as 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.
The presidential aide also accused the former Anambra State governor of relying on “unverified hearsay” to build a victim narrative, urging him to allow the players to concentrate on representing Nigeria.
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 a statement, Ahmad argued that being denied access to greet the players did not automatically amount to political persecution.
“Protocol, security and administrative considerations must have been involved,” he said.
He urged Obi to prioritise facts and responsibility, adding that the country was bigger than any individual or political party.
“A new Nigeria is possible, but not through perpetual political antagonism,” Ahmad added.
Obi had earlier said he was at the airport on Monday, preparing to board a flight to Enugu, when he noticed the Flamingos getting ready to enter a vehicle after arriving in the country.
