Women’s U17 football: Presidency and Obi clash over access to Flamingos
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Vanguard
Peter Obi’s media office says officials of the Nigeria Football Federation prevented him from greeting the Flamingos, women’s U17 world champions, at Abuja airport. The Presidency rejects these accusations, and Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo accuses Obi of hypocrisy.
Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), says he was prevented by officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) from greeting the players of Nigeria’s under-17 team at Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja, according to his media office. The Flamingos had just won the Women’s U17 World Cup in Morocco.
According to the media office, Mr Obi was at the airport for a flight to Enugu when he saw the team arrive. NFF officials reportedly asked him not to approach, in order to protect their positions. In a message on X, he denounced a "new dimension of toxic politics" in Nigeria.
The Presidency rejected these accusations and called on people not to politicise sport. Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo, SAN, for his part, accused Mr Obi of hypocrisy.
