Peter Obi accuses NFF officials of stopping him from welcoming Nigeria U-17 women at airport

Former Nigerian presidential candidate Peter Obi has accused officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) of preventing him from greeting members of the country’s Under-17 women’s team at an airport, allegedly because they feared losing their jobs.

Obi, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate for the 2027 elections, said the incident reflected what he described as an increasingly toxic political culture in the country, where political affiliations appear to influence even routine public interactions.

In a statement issued on Monday, the former Anambra State governor recounted how he encountered the young footballers at the airport while preparing to travel to Enugu.

Obi said he arrived at approximately 7 a.m. and noticed the team, which had just landed and was preparing to leave the airport.

Moved by the opportunity to congratulate and welcome the players, he instructed his protocol officer, Jackie Wayas, to establish whether he could approach the team.

However, he claimed the request was turned down by NFF officials, who allegedly feared that allowing him to interact with the players could put their positions at risk.

According to Obi, the officials were concerned about the possible consequences of being seen facilitating an encounter with him.

The incident has prompted the politician to raise concerns about the extent to which political divisions have affected interactions involving public institutions and national sporting teams.

Obi recounts similar incident involving Nigeria’s national team

Obi also recalled a similar experience in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on March 25, 2025, during a World Cup qualifying match.

He said that although the state governor welcomed him at the VIP stand, he was subsequently prevented from greeting the players after the match.

According to the former presidential candidate, government officials stopped him from approaching the team, again citing concerns that they could lose their jobs if they allowed the interaction.

Obi drew parallels between the two incidents, suggesting that the fear of professional consequences among officials had become a troubling feature of Nigeria’s political environment.

He argued that such developments point to an atmosphere in which individuals are increasingly reluctant to engage with people perceived to belong to opposing political camps.

The NDC candidate expressed concern that political intolerance was worsening rather than improving, warning that the consequences could extend beyond politics into other aspects of national life, including sports.

Peter Obi calls for end to political hostility

Obi used the latest incident to advocate a political environment built around tolerance, mutual respect and national unity.

He maintained that interactions between Nigerians should not be determined by political affiliations, particularly when dealing with national institutions and representatives of the country.

“The new Nigeria we aspire to build must have no room for hostility, intimidation, or discrimination, regardless of political affiliation,” he said.

He further stressed the importance of placing shared national interests above partisan considerations, arguing that Nigerians should be able to interact freely without fear of victimisation.

For Obi, the alleged treatment of the football officials’ situation illustrates the need to rebuild confidence in public institutions and create an environment where professional responsibilities are separated from political loyalties.

Former NFF communications director responds

Meanwhile, former NFF Director of Media and Communications Ademola Olajire declined to comment substantively when contacted about Obi’s allegations.

Olajire, who has since resigned from his position, said he was not in a position to provide an account of what transpired at the airport.

“I am not in the best position to disclose what transpired, I have resigned,” he said.

His response did not confirm or deny Obi’s account of the incident, leaving the allegations against the NFF officials unaddressed.

The federation is yet to provide an official response to the claims as presented in Obi’s statement.