Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has accused the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) of failing to fulfil its promise to construct a FIFA-sponsored stadium in Anambra State.
Obi made this accusation on Monday via a post on X (formerly Twitter) while responding to recent reports alleging financial impropriety within the NFF.
According to several media reports, the NFF allegedly diverted FIFA grants earmarked for grassroots football development and stadium construction projects across the country.
Adding his voice to the controversy, Obi recalled that during his tenure as Anambra State Governor, officials from the Sports Federation had informed him that the state capital had been chosen for a FIFA-funded initiative.
Obi said he was told that Awka was “one of six geographical locations for the construction of a FIFA-standard stadium to be fully funded by FIFA.”
“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,” he recounted.
He explained that, under the belief that such a major project was underway, his administration redirected its attention toward developing smaller sporting facilities across the state to promote grassroots participation in athletics.
“We commissioned the Chuba Ikpeazu Memorial Stadium in Onitsha, as well as the Godwin Achebe Stadium in Onitsha South, among others,” Obi added.
The former governor lamented that “nothing came of the promised FIFA project” and that his government had to shoulder the responsibility of establishing stadiums on its own.
Expressing disappointment, Obi decried what he termed the “blatant squandering of opportunities” that could have empowered Nigerian youth through sports.
He further asserted that a deeper probe into the current allegations against the NFF “will reveal even worse realities than what we currently know.”
Reacting to the controversy, the NFF maintained that all funds received from FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) undergo annual audits by external examiners.
The federation further explained that the funds are strictly designated for specific projects, “under strict adherence to financial regulations, compliance, monitoring, and auditing at every stage of the project or programme.”
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