Flamingos: Peter Obi Clashes with Presidency over Access to Players at Abuja Airport

Former Vice President Peter Obi is locked in a dispute with the Presidency over his access to the Flamingos national football team at Abuja’s airport, according to a report by Vanguard News. On Wednesday, Obi claimed that National Football Federation (NFF) officials prevented him from greeting the team upon their arrival from the ongoing African Women’s Championship in Morocco. In a statement, Obi’s spokesman, Valentine Obienyem, accused the NFF of ‘playing politics’ with the national team’s homecoming. According to Obienyem, Obi wanted to ‘welcome and encourage the team, but was blocked from doing so.’ However, the Presidency has not commented on the matter. The Flamingos, who are the defending champions, are due to play in a friendly match against South Africa on Saturday in Abuja. This incident comes amidst the ongoing political tension surrounding the 2023 elections, with Obi running as the presidential candidate for the Labour Party. The Presidency, which is supporting the incumbent party, has been criticised for what some perceive as a lack of neutrality in its handling of the elections. The dispute over the Flamingos’ homecoming is likely to add to the political tension surrounding the team, with Obi using the incident to highlight what he sees as the Presidency’s attempts to suppress opposition voices.