The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Mr. Peter Obi, has condemned the deep-rooted corruption within Nigeria’s sports sector, describing it as a reflection of the country’s broader moral and institutional decay.
In a statement titled “Corruption in Sports: A Reflection of Nigeria’s Deeper Malaise,” Obi expressed dismay over FIFA’s recent revelation that funds released to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for stadium development and youth talent growth had been mismanaged.
Peter Obi
He described the revelation as “both sickening and shameful,” noting that it mirrored the manner in which public funds are consistently misappropriated in Nigeria.
Recalling his tenure as Governor of Anambra State, Obi said officials of the Sports Federation had once informed his administration that Awka was selected as one of six locations for the construction of a FIFA-standard stadium, to be fully funded by FIFA. He stated that his government immediately allocated land for the project, but that was the last they heard of it.
“Believing that such a major project was underway, we channelled our resources toward constructing mini-stadiums across the state to encourage grassroots sports,” Obi explained. “We commissioned the Chuba Ikpeazu Memorial Stadium and the Godwin Achebe Stadium in Onitsha, among others. Years later, nothing came of the promised FIFA project, which prompted us to initiate the construction of the Awka Stadium ourselves.”
Obi lamented that despite the reported receipt of about $25 million by the NFF from FIFA and CAF since 2013, there is little or nothing to show for it. He cited the $1.2 million stadium project in Kebbi State as “a national embarrassment,” arguing that the structure does not reflect the funds allegedly expended.
He criticised those who accuse reform advocates of “demarketing” Nigeria by speaking against corruption, asserting that “the real demarketers of Nigeria are the incompetent leaders who have forged their way to wealth through the mismanagement and theft of public funds.”
“Our youths are our most prized assets, yet we have destroyed their future and then turned around to label them ‘Yahoo boys,’ when, in truth, the leaders who have robbed them of their future are the real ‘Yahoo’ of our nation,” Obi said.
He emphasised that the corruption in sports administration is symptomatic of the larger failure of governance in Nigeria, calling for integrity and accountability in every aspect of national life.
“If we truly desire to rebuild our country,” Obi concluded, “we must begin with integrity and accountability in every sector. Until then, our nation will continue to crawl where it should be soaring.”
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