NFF Officials Blocked Me From Greeting Flamingos At Airport – Obi
Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has accused officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) of preventing him from greeting members of the victorious Flamingos at an airport, allegedly threatening that they would lose their jobs if they allowed him to approach the players.
Obi disclosed this in a post on X on Monday, describing the incident as another example of the growing culture of toxic politics and political intolerance in the country.
The former Anambra State governor said he arrived at the airport around 7 a.m. to board a flight to Enugu when he spotted the Nigeria Under-17 women’s national team, who had just returned from Morocco.
He said he subsequently asked his Protocol Officer, Jackie Wayas, to find out whether he could greet and welcome the players.
However, Obi alleged that NFF officials rejected the request, insisting that he should not approach the team because they risked losing their jobs if he did.
“I was informed that officials of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) had refused and had requested that I not approach them because, if I did, they would all lose their jobs,” he wrote.
Obi said the incident was not an isolated case, recalling a similar experience on March 25, 2025, when he travelled to Uyo for a World Cup qualifying match.
According to him, although the state governor received him warmly at the VIP stand, he was prevented from greeting the players after the match when other government officials went to meet them.
He alleged that officials again cited the fear of losing their jobs as the reason for stopping him.
Expressing concern over what he described as the worsening atmosphere of political hostility since 2025, Obi said the situation appeared to be deteriorating.
He maintained that political differences should not prevent Nigerians from showing mutual respect and celebrating national achievements.
“The new Nigeria we aspire to build must have no room for hostility, intimidation, or discrimination, regardless of political affiliation.
“It must be a Nigeria in which unity, mutual respect, and our shared humanity take precedence over political differences,” he added.
The Flamingos returned to Abuja on Monday after defeating Japan 2-1 in the final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Rabat, Morocco, to claim the historic title.
