Reactions As Onanuga Shares NSC Response To Peter Obi’s Allegation Of Being Denied Access To Flamingos

The Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, has responded to former Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over his allegation that he was denied access to Nigeria’s victorious U-17 women’s team, the Flamingos, during their return from the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.

Dikko, in a statement dated November 9, 2026, dismissed Obi’s account of the incident, insisting that the decision not to arrange a meeting between him and the players at the Abuja airport was not politically motivated.

The statement was shared by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, drawing attention to the disagreement surrounding Obi’s reported attempt to meet the young footballers.

According to Dikko, officials of the NSC and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) who accompanied and received the team said they did not see Obi around the players at the airport. He explained that two individuals wearing campaign face caps and other materials associated with Obi approached the officials to request a meeting and photo session between the former Anambra State governor and the players.

The NSC chairman said the request was declined because it was sudden and there had been no prior arrangement for such an interaction. He added that the players had arrived from Morocco at about 5:30 a.m. aboard an Air Maroc flight and were exhausted after their journey and demanding tournament.

Dikko further argued that Obi had stated he was at the airport to board a flight to Enugu, which would ordinarily require him to use the domestic terminal, while the Flamingos arrived through the international terminal.

He maintained that members of the public and passengers were allowed to celebrate the players, take photographs, dance and shake hands with them as they made their way to their buses.

The NSC chairman also challenged Obi’s suggestion that the incident amounted to political intimidation, saying the former presidential candidate should have sought clarification from the commission or the NFF before making his complaint public.

He called on Obi to apologise to the players, accusing him of shifting attention from their historic achievement to a political controversy.

“I urge and advise that His Excellency Mr Peter Obi reflect deeply and offer an unreserved apology to these young girls for souring their moment of glory with his regrettable actions, subsequent statement and media interviews deliberately weaponising a non-issue for political gain,” Dikko stated.

Emphasising the need to protect the players, who are minors, he said the team has a designated safeguarding official responsible for their welfare and protection from undue pressure.

Dikko also invited Obi and other Nigerians interested in meeting or hosting the team to formally contact the NSC or NFF so that appropriate arrangements could be made in line with the players’ schedules and welfare requirements.

He cited the example of a Nigerian businessman who reportedly donated $50,000 to the team on the pitch after the final match in Morocco, saying the gesture was made without seeking media attention or political recognition.

The NSC chairman also revisited Obi’s claim that he was prevented from visiting Super Eagles players in their dressing room after Nigeria’s 1-1 draw with Zimbabwe in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Uyo on March 25, 2025.

Dikko, who said he was seated on the same row with Obi and several state governors during the match, maintained that no dignitary or official was allowed into the dressing room because the players wanted to hold an immediate meeting following the disappointing result.

He added that FIFA match protocols also restrict access to technical areas, including dressing rooms, to accredited individuals or those who had obtained prior clearance through the football federation.

Concluding his statement, Dikko described football as a national asset that should unite Nigerians across political, ethnic and religious differences, insisting that the Flamingos’ World Cup triumph should not be turned into a platform for partisan division.

The controversy has generated attention online, with the NSC’s response providing a detailed account of the circumstances surrounding the disputed airport encounter.

https://x.com/aonanuga1956/status/2120057517661135178?a=MIm7gLHG-fAcg5Ht4Nw&s=08

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