The National Sports Commission (NSC) has accused former Anambra State Governor and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, of politicising the reception of Nigeria’s victorious U-17 women’s team, the Flamingos, following their triumph at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
The Commission also demanded an unreserved apology from Obi, accusing him of turning what it described as an unscheduled request for photographs with the players at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, into a narrative of political victimisation.
In a statement issued by the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, the NSC said officials of the Commission and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) who received the team reported that they did not see Obi around the players at the airport.
According to the statement, two individuals wearing campaign face caps and other materials associated with Obi approached officials to request that the former governor meet and take photographs with the players.
The Commission said the request was declined because the players had arrived from Morocco at about 5:30 a.m. aboard an Air Maroc flight and were exhausted after their journey and a demanding competition.
It added that there had been no prior formal arrangement for such an interaction, stressing that officials acted in the interest of the players’ welfare and safeguarding.
The NSC further disputed Obi’s account of being prevented from meeting the team, explaining that the Flamingos arrived through the international terminal, while the former governor had reportedly indicated that he was at the airport to board a flight to Enugu, which ordinarily operates from the domestic terminal.
It maintained that members of the public, passengers and other Nigerians at the international terminal freely celebrated the players, taking photographs, dancing and exchanging pleasantries with them as they proceeded to their buses.
The Commission said media organisations covering the team’s arrival also captured the celebrations but Obi was neither seen around the players nor in the vicinity of the international terminal.
Taking exception to Obi’s public comments and subsequent media interviews, the NSC accused him of presenting the incident as political intimidation without first seeking clarification from either the Commission or the NFF.
It urged the former governor to reflect on his actions and apologise to the young players for allegedly overshadowing their moment of national glory with what it described as an unnecessary political controversy.
The Commission emphasised that the Flamingos are minors and have a designated safeguarding official within their technical crew responsible for protecting their welfare and managing access to them.
It said such arrangements were necessary to prevent young athletes from being subjected to undue pressure or portrayed as endorsing any political party.
The NSC also highlighted the team’s extensive preparation, noting that the players had spent more than seven months undergoing training, participating in World Cup qualifiers, competing in the WAFU tournament and preparing for the competition in Morocco.
While acknowledging Obi’s congratulatory messages during the closing stages of the tournament, the Commission said national teams deserved consistent support throughout their preparation, competitions and difficult moments, rather than attention only after winning trophies.
It consequently invited Obi and other Nigerians interested in meeting or hosting the players to submit formal requests through the NSC or NFF to enable appropriate arrangements in line with the team’s schedule and welfare requirements.
The Commission cited the example of a Nigerian businessman who sponsored a delegation to Morocco to support the Flamingos during the final and subsequently donated $50,000 to the team on the pitch without seeking media attention or political recognition.
On Obi’s separate allegation that he was prevented from visiting the Super Eagles in their dressing room after Nigeria’s 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Uyo on March 25, 2025, the NSC also dismissed the claim.
The Commission’s chairman said he sat in the same row with Obi and the governors of Lagos, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom states during the match.
He explained that following the disappointing result, the Super Eagles players requested privacy to conduct an immediate internal assessment, adding that no dignitary or official, including himself, the governors and senior NFF officials, was allowed into the dressing room.
He further explained that the match was governed by strict FIFA protocols, under which an appointed security official controlled access to restricted areas, including dressing rooms.
According to him, only accredited persons were permitted into such areas, while other visitors were required to obtain prior clearance through the football federation.
The NSC warned that violating such protocols could expose the NFF to sanctions, including fines and possible restrictions on the stadium’s eligibility to host future international matches.
Reaffirming the importance of national unity, the Commission described football as a national asset capable of bridging Nigeria’s ethnic, religious and political divisions.
It insisted that the Flamingos’ World Cup triumph belonged to all Nigerians and should remain a source of collective pride rather than become another platform for partisan political confrontation.
