President Bola Tinubu's Special Assistant on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, has strongly condemned Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), over his recent comments regarding the alleged mistreatment of Nigeria's Under-17 female football team.
Olusegun accused Obi of attempting to politicise the country's national sports teams and institutions, calling his actions distasteful and inappropriate.
He made his position clear in a statement shared across his social media platforms, where he insisted that national athletes represent the entire Federal Republic of Nigeria and not any political party or individual.
According to him, protocols guiding national teams are designed to protect young athletes from political exploitation, commercial distractions and unnecessary media attention while on official duty.
"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," Olusegun said.
He further urged Mr Peter Obi to reflect on his approach and stop weaponising unverified hearsay to build a victim narrative. "Let our athletes focus on winning for Nigeria, free from political theatre," he added.
Obi had earlier taken to his X handle to condemn what he described as a new dimension of toxic politics in Nigeria. The NDC presidential candidate alleged that officials of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, prevented him from greeting the young players, claiming they feared losing their jobs if they allowed him to interact with the team.
The controversy emerged amid the 2026 U-17 Women's World Cup, where Nigeria's Under-17 female football team was involved in a dispute that drew political attention from both sides of the aisle.
The Presidency's response underscores its commitment to separating sports from partisan politics, while also highlighting concerns about the integrity of national sporting institutions.
The issue remains unresolved as both parties continue to exchange statements over the matter.