Tinubu’s aide accuses Peter Obi of politicising U-17 female football team controversy

President Bola Tinubu’s Special Assistant on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, has criticised the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, over his comments on the alleged mistreatment of Nigeria’s Under-17 female football team.

Olusegun accused the former Anambra State governor of attempting to politicise the country’s national sports teams and institutions, describing his intervention as distasteful.

The presidential aide made the remarks in a statement shared on his social media platform, where he maintained that national athletes represent the entire Federal Republic of Nigeria rather than any political party, individual or political interest.

He argued that established protocols guiding national teams were designed to protect young athletes from political exploitation, commercial distractions and unnecessary media attention while performing official duties.

According to Olusegun, attempts to portray standard security and administrative procedures as political victimisation could undermine the unity and national identity that sports are intended to promote.

“To spin standard security and administrative protocols into a narrative of political victimisation is a disservice to the unity that sports are meant to foster in our country,” he said.

The presidential aide also accused Obi of relying on unverified information to advance what he described as a victim narrative.

“Mr Peter Obi, I hope you will reflect on your manipulative way of life and stop weaponising unverified hearsay to build a victim narrative. Let our athletes focus on winning for Nigeria, free from political theatre,” Olusegun added.

Obi had earlier expressed concern over what he described as a new dimension of toxic politics in Nigeria following an alleged incident involving officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the country’s Under-17 female football team.

The NDC presidential candidate, in a post on his X handle, condemned the alleged treatment meted out to him when he attempted to interact with the young footballers.

Obi claimed that NFF officials prevented him from greeting the players, allegedly because they feared losing their jobs if they permitted him to interact with the team.

He described the incident as troubling, suggesting that the development reflected the growing politicisation of public institutions and activities in the country.

The disagreement has brought attention to the intersection of politics, sports administration and national unity, particularly the need to ensure that young athletes are protected from political controversies.

While Olusegun insisted that national teams should remain insulated from political activities and distractions, Obi’s comments focused on what he considered an inappropriate restriction on his interaction with the players.

The controversy comes amid heightened political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, with exchanges between supporters and representatives of political parties increasingly taking place across social media platforms.

Neither the Nigeria Football Federation nor the officials allegedly involved in the incident were quoted in the report as providing an independent explanation for the circumstances surrounding Obi’s attempted interaction with the team.