Former Anambra State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi has accused officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) of preventing him from greeting Nigeria’s Under-17 women’s team, the Flamingos, at an airport.
Obi said he arrived at the airport at 7 a.m. on Monday to board a flight to Enugu when he saw the team preparing to leave after arriving in the country.
In a post on X, he said he asked his protocol officer, Jackie Wayas, to find out whether he could greet and welcome the players but was told that NFF officials had refused his request.
According to Obi, the officials said they could lose their jobs if he approached the team.
He described the incident as another example of what he called the growing culture of toxic politics in Nigeria since 2025.
Obi recalled a similar experience on March 25, 2025, when he travelled to Uyo for a World Cup qualifying match.
He said the state governor welcomed him at the VIP stand, but government officials later prevented him from greeting the players after the match, reportedly warning that they could lose their jobs if he did so.
The former governor criticised what he described as hostility and discrimination driven by political differences, saying national unity and mutual respect should take precedence over party affiliations.
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