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The National Sports Commission (NSC) has asked Peter Obi to apologise to Nigeria’s victorious Under-17 women’s team, the Flamingos, over the controversy surrounding their reception at the Abuja airport.
NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko called on the former Anambra governor to “reflect deeply” and offer an “unreserved apology” to the players, accusing him of overshadowing their World Cup triumph with his actions and subsequent public statements.
“I urged and advised that His Excellency Mr. Peter Obi reflects deeply and offer an unreserved apology to these young girls for soaring their moment of glory with his regrettable actions, subsequents statement and media interviews deliberately weaponizing a non-issue for political gain,” Dikko said in a statement.
The Flamingos returned to Nigeria after winning the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
The controversy followed claims that Obi was prevented from meeting the players during their reception at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
But Dikko said officials of the NSC and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) who received the team did not see Obi near the players.
He said two people wearing Obi campaign face caps and other campaign attire approached officials to request a meeting and photographs between the former governor and the players.
According to Dikko, officials declined the request because it was made without prior arrangement and the players were tired after their early-morning flight and a demanding competition.
“The players had just arrived early that morning on an Air Maroc flight at about 5.30 a.m. and were tired after their journey and a demanding competition,” he said.
He said the decision was based on the players’ welfare and the circumstances of the request, adding that there was no indication that any official’s job was at risk.
Dikko also said Obi had stated that he was at the airport to board a flight to Enugu, which would ordinarily depart from the domestic terminal, while the Flamingos arrived through the international terminal.
He said passengers and airport officials welcomed the players, taking photographs, dancing and shaking hands with them as they made their way to their buses.
The NSC chairman said the players were minors and had a safeguarding official within the technical crew responsible for protecting their welfare.
“Their welfare, dignity and protection from undue pressure must remain central to every engagement,” he said.
Dikko urged Obi and other Nigerians wishing to meet or host the team to submit formal requests to the NSC or NFF so that arrangements could be made around the players’ programme and welfare.
He also disputed Obi’s claim that he was prevented from visiting the Super Eagles dressing room after Nigeria’s World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe in Uyo on March 25, 2025.
Dikko said the players had declined to receive visitors after the match because they wanted to hold an immediate meeting among themselves.
“Consequently, no dignitary or official, including myself, the Governors and top officials of NFF visited the players in the dressing room,” he said.
“Therefore, Mr. Obi cannot claim, more than a year later, that he had somehow been singled out on that occasion for mistreatment by anybody and or blocked from seeing the players.”
He maintained that the Flamingos’ World Cup victory should unite Nigerians rather than become a source of political division.
🗞️ 𝙋𝙍𝙀𝙎𝙎 𝙍𝙀𝙇𝙀𝘼𝙎𝙀
We reject the portrayal of the Flamingos’ airport reception as political exclusion. The decision to decline an unscheduled meeting and photo request made through an unknown third party was guided by the players’ welfare after their journey and indeed the standard protocols and procedures.
The Flamingos’ World Cup victory is a moment of national pride. We invite anyone wishing to meet or host the team to contact the NSC or NFF to make suitable arrangements.
Read the full press release for more details.
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#NSC #NationalSportsCommission #Flamingos #NSCPressRelease— National Sports Commission (@NatSportsComm) November 10, 2026
