Former Anambra State governor and 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has alleged that officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) stopped him from welcoming the national Under-17 girls’ team at the airport this morning, warning that they would be sacked if he approached the players.
In a post on his X handle on Monday, Obi said he arrived at the airport at 7 a.m. to board a flight to Enugu and found the team had just landed and was preparing to board its vehicle into town.
Excited to see them, he asked his Protocol Officer, Jackie Wayas, to find out whether he could greet and welcome the players.
According to Obi, the officials declined and asked him not to come close, saying they would all lose their jobs if he did.
He said this was not the first such incident. On March 25, 2025, he was in Uyo for the World Cup qualifier, where the governor received him warmly and welcomed him at the VIP stand.
After the match, other government officials went to greet the players, but Obi said he was again prevented from doing so, with officials telling him they would lose their jobs if he went ahead.
Describing the episodes as a troubling sign of the times, Obi said Nigeria’s politics has grown increasingly toxic since 2025, with each year bringing further decline.
“The new Nigeria we aspire to build must have no room for hostility, intimidation, or discrimination, regardless of political affiliation,” he said, adding that unity, mutual respect, and shared humanity must come before political differences.
