The Federal Government has defended officials of the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) following allegations that they prevented Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi from meeting the victorious U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, at the Abuja airport.
Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, described Obi’s account of the incident as a misrepresentation, insisting that officials acted in the interest of the players’ welfare and safeguarding.
Dikko made the clarification in a statement obtained by Politics Nigeria on Tuesday, explaining that officials who received the team from Morocco reported that they did not see Obi around the players at the airport.
According to him, two individuals wearing Peter Obi campaign face caps and other campaign-related clothing approached officials and requested that the former Anambra State governor meet and take photographs with the players.
He said the officials declined the request because the young footballers had just arrived at about 5:30 a.m. aboard an Air Maroc flight and were exhausted after their journey and demanding World Cup campaign.
The NSC chairman added that there had been no prior arrangement or formal notification concerning a reception involving Obi at the airport.
Shehu Dikko Explains Why Officials Declined Peter Obi’s Request
Dikko also dismissed allegations that officials were threatened with losing their jobs over their decision to decline the proposed meeting.
He maintained that nothing in the account provided by the officials supported claims of intimidation or threats against members of the sports administration.
The commission’s chairman further explained that Obi, who reportedly arrived at the airport to board a flight to Enugu, would ordinarily have used the domestic terminal, while the Flamingos arrived through the international terminal.
According to Dikko, passengers and other Nigerians at the international terminal freely celebrated the players, taking photographs, dancing and shaking hands with them as they proceeded to their buses.
He insisted that Obi was neither captured near the team nor seen around the international terminal where the players arrived.
Dikko faulted the former presidential candidate for allegedly presenting the incident as political intimidation without first seeking clarification from the NSC or NFF.
‘Peter Obi Should Apologise to the Flamingos’
The NSC chairman urged Obi to apologise to the young footballers, accusing him of turning their moment of national celebration into a political controversy.
Dikko said:
“I urged and advised that His Excellency Mr. Peter Obi reflect deeply and offer an unreserved apology to these young girls for souring their moment of glory with his regrettable actions, subsequent statement and media interviews deliberately weaponising a non-issue for political gain.”
He stressed that the Flamingos are minors and have a dedicated safeguarding official responsible for protecting their welfare and regulating interactions with them.
According to him, officials have a responsibility to ensure that the young players are not subjected to unnecessary pressure or portrayed as supporters of any political party.
Dikko Questions Obi’s Support for Flamingos Before World Cup Victory
The sports commission chairman also questioned the level of support Obi provided to the team before their World Cup triumph.
He noted that the Flamingos spent more than seven months preparing for the competition through training programmes, qualifying matches and the WAFU tournament.
Although he acknowledged Obi’s congratulatory messages during the later stages of the competition, Dikko argued that national teams require consistent support throughout their preparations and not only after achieving success.
He, ho