Mr Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) ahead of the 2027 election, has called on Nigerians not to lose heart as the football World Cup gets underway without the Super Eagles.
In a post on his X handle, Mr Obi acknowledged the disappointment felt by the nation’s football supporters but urged them to see the tournament as a “reminder of where Nigeria ought to be.”
“Our failure to participate on the global stage is not due to a deficit of talent; it is a direct consequence of a deficit in leadership, planning, and institutional support,” he wrote.
Mr Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, stressed that the task of building a better Nigeria “rests primarily on the shoulders of the younger generation.”
He encouraged young Nigerians not to watch the World Cup with despair but with a sense of purpose.
“We must move our country from being a nation of mere consumers of global entertainment to a nation of proud producers and competitors,” he added.
Mr Obi reaffirmed his belief that “a new Nigeria is possible.”
