Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi has alleged that Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) officials prevented him from greeting members of the country’s Under-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, at an airport, saying they feared losing their jobs.
Obi said he was told the officials had warned against allowing him to approach the players and threatened that they would all lose their jobs if he greeted the team.
The former Anambra State governor made the allegation in a post on X on Monday, while expressing concern about what he described as Nigeria’s growing culture of toxic politics.
Obi said he arrived at the airport at about 7 a.m. to board a flight to Enugu and saw the Flamingos, who had just arrived and were preparing to leave.
He said he asked his protocol officer, Jackie Wayas, to find out whether he could greet and welcome the players. However, he alleged, NFF officials rejected the request and instructed him not to approach the team.
“I was informed that officials of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) had refused and had requested that I not approach them because, if I did, they would all lose their jobs,” he wrote.
Obi added that this was not the first time he had allegedly been prevented from interacting with members of a Nigerian national team.
He recalled travelling to Uyo on March 25, 2025, for a World Cup qualifying match, where the state governor warmly received him at the VIP stand. But after the match, he said, he was prevented from joining other government officials who went to greet the players.
According to Obi, officials again claimed they would lose their jobs if he greeted the team.
He said the culture of toxic politics had worsened since 2025 and appeared to deepen with each passing year.
“The new Nigeria we aspire to build must have no room for hostility, intimidation, or discrimination, regardless of political affiliation,” he wrote.
“It must be a Nigeria in which unity, mutual respect, and our shared humanity take precedence over political differences.”
The Flamingos arrived in Abuja on Monday after defeating Japan 2–1 in the final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Rabat, Morocco.
