Malcolm Omirhobo, a human rights attorney, strongly criticized the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for implying that the Super Eagles’ 1-0 quarter-final triumph against Angola during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) aligned with Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope agenda’.
The NFF president, Ibrahim Gusau, conveyed his message, urging the Super Eagles to put their trust in Tinubu, during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abidjan on Saturday.
“You heard what he [Tinubu] said. He said, ‘Boys go there, believe in me,” Gusau said.
“You don’t have any problems, and whatever issues you are facing, just believe in me. Go and do the job, and you will see the result.”
Aisha Falode, an Executive Board Member of the NFF, emphasized that the NFF was committed to fulfilling Tinubu’s directive to secure the AFCON trophy for Nigeria.
“We got that mandate, ‘go win the cup for Nigeria,’ and we are on the way to doing that.
“It is a mantra of Renewed Hope.
“A renewed Super Eagles for a renewed Nigeria with one mandate; to bring the 2023 AFCON trophy back to Nigeria for Nigerians to celebrate.
“That’s what we are going to do. We are on our way to the final. We love Nigeria,” she said.
In a tweet from his X account on Sunday, Omirhobo addressed the development, urging the NFF to cease performing mere lip service. He pointed out that the Super Eagles’ victory at the AFCON does not correspond with Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope agenda’.
“NFF can you please stop your eye service? The Super Eagles’ victory at the AFCON 2023 has nothing to do with the talk of aligning with Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ Please keep politics out of football and don’t bring bad luck to the boys,” Omirhobo tweeted.