NSC Fires Back at Obi Over Flamingos Airport Incident, Demands Apology
The National Sports Commission (NSC) has rejected allegations by Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi that officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) prevented him from greeting Nigeria’s victorious Under-17 women’s football team, the Flamingos, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
The commission also demanded an unreserved apology from the former Anambra State governor, accusing him of politicising the team’s historic victory at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
NSC Chairman, Shehu Dikko, made the commission’s position known in a statement issued on Monday, November 9, titled, “NSC Responds to Peter Obi: Flamingos’ World Cup Victory Must Not Be Politicised.”
Obi had earlier alleged that he was prevented from welcoming the young footballers following their return from Morocco, where they defeated Japan 2-1 in the final to win Nigeria’s first-ever FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup title.
The former governor said he arrived at the Abuja airport at about 7 a.m. on Monday to board a flight to Enugu when he sighted the victorious team.
According to him, he instructed his protocol officer, Jackie Wayas, to find out whether he could greet and congratulate the players.
However, he claimed that his request was rejected by NFF officials, who allegedly warned that they could lose their jobs if they allowed him to approach the team.
Obi subsequently described the incident as another example of what he called toxic politics in the country.
Responding, Dikko said officials of the NSC and NFF who accompanied and received the team reported that they did not see Obi anywhere near the players at the airport.
He explained that two individuals wearing Obi’s campaign face caps and other campaign materials approached the officials to request a meeting and photo session between the former governor and the players.
The NSC chairman said the request was declined because it was sudden, had not been communicated to the commission or the NFF beforehand and could have involved campaign materials.
He added that the Flamingos had arrived from Morocco at about 5:30 a.m. aboard an Air Maroc flight and were understandably exhausted after their journey and a demanding international competition.
According to Dikko, the decision to decline the request was informed by the need to protect the players’ welfare and ensure that their historic achievement was not subjected to political activities.
He also disputed Obi’s claim that he sighted the players, explaining that the former governor said he was at the airport to board a domestic flight to Enugu, while the Flamingos arrived through the international terminal.
Dikko further maintained that airport officials and passengers freely welcomed, celebrated and took photographs with the players without discrimination based on political affiliation.
The chairman said the commission took strong exception to Obi’s decision to portray the incident as political intimidation without first seeking clarification from the NSC or NFF.
Demanding an apology, Dikko urged the NDC presidential candidate to reflect on his actions and subsequent statements.
He said the young footballers should not have their moment of glory overshadowed by political disagreements, adding that the commission would not allow national athletes to be used to suggest allegiance to any political party.
Dikko also emphasised that the Flamingos are minors and have a designated safeguarding official responsible for protecting their welfare and regulating access to them.
He consequently advised Obi and other Nigerians interested in meeting or hosting the team to submit formal requests to the NSC or NFF for appropriate arrangements.
NSC DG Calls Obi ‘Pathological Liar’
In a separate reaction, NSC Director-General, Bukola Olopade, launched a scathing attack on Obi, describing him as a “pathological liar” over his account of the airport incident.
Olopade questioned how the former governor could have sighted the Flamingos from the domestic terminal, considering the circumstances surrounding the team’s arrival.
In comments circulated on Tuesday, the NSC director-general explained that the team’s aircraft landed at approximately 5:30 a.m., when it was still dark, and that the players passed through immigration before exiting through an underground passage at the international terminal.
He argued that Obi, who said he was at the domestic terminal preparing to board a flight to Enugu, could not have seen the players from his location.
Olopade’s comments further intensified the controversy, which has generated reactions from political figures and government officials.
NSC Also Disputes Obi’s Super Eagles Account
Dikko also challenged Obi’s account of a similar incident involving the Super Eagles after Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Zimbabwe in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on March 25, 2025.
Obi had alleged that he was prevented from visiting the players in their dressing room after the match, despite other government officials being allowed access.
However, the NSC chairman said the players had requested privacy to hold an internal meeting following the match and that no dignitary or official, including himself and the governors present, visited the dressing room.
He added that access to the dressing room was subject to FIFA accreditation and other established protocols.
Meanwhile, the commission maintained that Nigeria’s national teams belong to all Nigerians, irrespective of political affiliations, and urged public figures to support their development beyond moments of victory.
The controversy comes as the Flamingos continue to receive national recognition following their historic triumph in Morocco, where they became the first African country to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.