Former Anambra State governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has accused the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) of failing to deliver a FIFA-funded stadium that was promised to the state during his tenure.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, Obi expressed disappointment over what he described as “the blatant squandering of opportunities” meant to promote grassroots sports development in Nigeria.
Obi said that while he was governor, officials from the Sports Federation informed him that Awka, the Anambra State capital, had been selected as one of six locations across the country earmarked for the construction of FIFA-standard stadiums. The project, he said, was to be fully financed by FIFA and implemented through the Federal Ministry of Sports.
“We immediately allocated land for that purpose, and they assured us that the project would be executed through the Federal Ministry of Sports. That was the last we heard of it,” Obi recounted.
Believing that the project was underway, the former governor explained that his administration redirected state resources to construct mini-stadiums across Anambra to promote youth participation in sports.
“We commissioned the Chuba Ikpeazu Memorial Stadium in Onitsha, as well as the Godwin Achebe Stadium in Onitsha South, among others,” he said.
However, Obi lamented that nothing ever came of the promised FIFA-funded stadium, describing it as another missed opportunity for Nigerian youths.
“Nothing came of the promised FIFA project, and that was deeply disappointing. The blatant squandering of opportunities meant for our young people is unacceptable,” he added.
Reacting to recent allegations of financial mismanagement within the NFF, Obi said he believed a thorough investigation would uncover “even worse realities than what we currently know.”
Meanwhile, the NFF has denied any wrongdoing, insisting that all funds received from FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) are properly audited.
In a statement on Friday, the federation said, “All FIFA and CAF funds are tied to specific purposes under strict adherence to financial regulations, compliance, monitoring, and auditing at every stage of the project or programme.”
The NFF added that its financial records were audited annually by external auditors to ensure transparency and accountability.
