ABUJA — Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate in 2023, Mr. Peter Obi, has criticised the continued non-payment of match allowances owed to Nigeria’s national football team, the Super Eagles, describing it as an embarrassment that undermines the country’s image and morale.

Obi made the remarks in a post shared on his official Facebook page, where he expressed concern that Nigeria continues to generate troubling news even at moments when citizens need unity and positive distractions.

According to him, the Super Eagles have been a source of national pride, lifting spirits at home and abroad through their recent victories, yet are being subjected to avoidable distractions due to the failure to pay their agreed match bonuses.

“At a time when Nigerians need joy and unity—something the Super Eagles have been providing by winning matches and lifting our spirits worldwide—these same players are being denied their basic match allowances,” Obi wrote.

He questioned the country’s priorities, noting that while huge sums are written off in debts for government agencies and political allies and spent on what he described as grandiose, self-serving projects, authorities struggle to meet basic obligations to national representatives.

“A country that writes off trillions in debts and squanders money on grandiose projects now struggles to pay basic match bonuses owed to our players,” he said.

Obi warned that the situation damages Nigeria’s international reputation and unfairly places pressure on the players ahead of an important quarter-final encounter. He stressed that the failure to honour pre-tournament agreements was unacceptable.

“The Super Eagles do not deserve this embarrassment or the avoidable distractions ahead of a crucial quarter-final match. Nigeria must learn to fulfil its obligations,” he added.

He concluded by reiterating his long-standing message of national renewal, stating that “a New Nigeria is possible.”