Flamingos’ World Cup Victory: Omokri Accuses Obi of Politicising Airport Incident
Flamingos’ World Cup Victory: Omokri Accuses Obi of Politicising Airport Incident
Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has criticised former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi over the controversy surrounding his encounter with Nigeria’s victorious U-17 women’s football team, the Flamingos, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Omokri accused Obi of turning the team’s historic World Cup triumph into a political issue, following the former Anambra State governor’s allegation that officials prevented him from greeting the players after their return from Morocco.
The controversy followed Nigeria’s 2–1 victory over Japan in the final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, making the Flamingos the first African team to win the competition.
However, the National Sports Commission Chairman, Shehu Dikko, offered a different account of the incident, explaining that the decision to decline the proposed interaction was based on protocol and the players’ welfare.
The disagreement has generated reactions, with questions being raised about the circumstances surrounding the airport encounter and the need to keep the team’s historic achievement separate from political disagreements.
