Ikorodu City Faces Backlash Over Deleted Peter Obi Post

Nigeria Premier Football League NPFL club Ikorodu City FC has faced criticism from football enthusiasts after deleting a social media post welcoming Peter Obi to its match against Enugu Rangers.

Obi, presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress NDC for the 2027 election, attended Sunday’s Matchday Six fixture at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos, where Ikorodu City defeated defending champions Enugu Rangers 2-0.

The former Anambra governor watched the match from the VVIP section alongside Ikorodu City President, Sanmi Doherty. He was also accompanied by Ladipo Johnson, the NDC candidate for Lagos Central Senatorial District, and Aisha Jimoh, the party’s candidate for Lagos Island Constituency II in the House of Representatives.

During the match, Ikorodu City published a post on its official X account welcoming Obi to the stadium.

However, the post was later deleted, prompting reactions from football supporters who questioned the decision and argued that Obi’s presence could have helped generate greater attention for the domestic league.

Football journalist Olawale Adigun criticised the deletion, saying the incident represented a missed opportunity to promote the NPFL by attracting prominent personalities to league matches.

He also questioned the club’s response to political events affecting football in Lagos, referring to the postponement of a Lagos derby for a political event.

Ikorodu City director and photojournalist Olawale Quadri later defended the decision, saying the club removed the post to dissociate itself from politics.

Quadri described Obi’s appearance as a “political move” and said the club had to be careful because of the sensitivity surrounding Nigeria’s political environment. He stressed that the club had not prevented Obi from attending the match.

The controversy came after Ikorodu City secured its first-ever NPFL victory over Enugu Rangers, ending a run of six consecutive league defeats against the Enugu side.

Aderemi Adeoye opened the scoring before Ikechukwu Junior doubled the advantage in the second half as Ikorodu City secured all three points.

Obi later spoke about the wider potential of sports to create opportunities for young Nigerians, saying greater investment in the sector could contribute to employment and youth development.