NSC Denies Blocking Peter Obi From Meeting Flamingos at Airport
The National Sports Commission rejected Peter Obi's claims that officials prevented him from greeting Nigeria's U-17 Women's World Cup-winning team, citing player welfare concerns.
The National Sports Commission has pushed back against allegations by Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi that he was barred from greeting the Flamingos upon their return to Abuja after winning the FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup in Morocco. NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko said the decision to decline a meeting request was made to protect the players' wellbeing following their arrival, not for political reasons.
According to the NSC's account, the request to meet the team came unexpectedly from two individuals wearing campaign attire associated with Obi's presidential bid, rather than from Obi himself. The Commission suggested that permitting such a meeting could have introduced campaign materials into what should have been a celebration of national achievement by the young athletes.
The Federal Government defended the NSC and Nigeria Football Federation over the incident, backing the officials' version of events. Dikko insisted that the commission's priority was safeguarding the players and ensuring their welfare after their World Cup victory, rejecting what he characterized as attempts to convert the team's sporting accomplishment into a partisan matter.
The NSC also demanded an apology from Obi, framing his public statements about the airport incident as an effort to politicize the Flamingos' achievement. Dikko stated that the team's historic triumph should unite Nigerians rather than become entangled in electoral controversy.
The sources do not provide details of how Obi has responded to the NSC's counter-claims or demand for an apology.
