Presidency Defends Against Obi's Claims on U-17 Team Meeting

The Presidency addressed the controversy regarding Peter Obi, the former Governor of Anambra State and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), who alleged he was stopped from congratulating Nigeria’s U-17 women’s football team, the Flamingos, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. Dada Olusegun, Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, stated that opposition politicians were attempting to politicize national sports teams and insisted that athletes represent Nigeria as a whole, not any political party or individual.

He described the opposition's actions as distasteful and explained that protocol guidelines are in place to protect young athletes from political exploitation and distractions. Olusegun accused Obi of misrepresenting standard security procedures as political victimization, urging him to refrain from using unverified information to create a narrative of victimhood.

He emphasized the importance of allowing athletes to focus on their achievements for Nigeria.