Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has said Nigeria can build a football system as good as Europe’s if young Nigerians choose good governance at the polls.
Obi, in a statement on Saturday titled “Beyond Football: The Match for a Better Nigeria,” noted that millions of Nigerian youths would be glued to their screens this weekend as European football returns, admiring the organisation and excellence that have made it the envy of the world.
He, however, questioned why Nigerian football cannot attain the same standard, insisting that the country does not lack talent but has been let down by poor leadership.
“The answer is not a lack of talent. Nigeria has produced world-class footballers who have excelled in Europe because they found systems that reward merit, invest in infrastructure, ensure security, and are governed with competence and accountability. Great football does not exist in isolation. It grows where there is good governance,” he said.
According to him, the stadiums, academies, transport systems, healthcare, security, electricity, and institutions that support football abroad are products of leaders who make the right choices and citizens who insist on accountability.
Obi announced that he had decided to engage Nigerian youths for the next 150 days wherever they gather, including town halls, campuses, online spaces, and football communities, with a message that the future admired in Europe can be built at home.
“The future you admire in Europe can be built in Nigeria. But it starts with your vote,” he said.
He painted a picture of a Nigeria where the local league is competitive, stadiums are filled every weekend, clubs attract sponsorship, coaches receive proper training, and young footballers no longer see emigration as their only path to success.
The ADC presidential candidate maintained that such a Nigeria would not emerge through wishful thinking but when young Nigerians decide that elections matter as much as football matches.
He described the 2027 presidential election as more than a political contest, but an opportunity for Nigerian youths to choose a country that exports talent because it is respected, not because its citizens are escaping failed governance.
Obi urged youths to continue supporting their favourite European clubs, including Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSG, Inter, and AC Milan, but not to forget the “greatest match” awaiting them at home.
“It is the match for good governance. It is the match for jobs, security, education, sports development, and national renewal. And unlike football, where only twenty-two players are on the pitch, every Nigerian youth has a place in this match,” he said.
He called on Nigerian youths to stand up, mobilise, vote, and defend their votes, stressing that the journey towards better Nigerian football begins with the path to good governance.
Obi promised to reach out to Nigerians every weekend with reminders of the January 16, 2027, election, adding that world-class standards can be created within the country.
“It’s in your hands, and that new Nigeria is possible,” he said.
(The Whistler)
