The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, has criticised former Anambra State governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi over his call for increased government investment in sports.

Onanuga, in a post on X on Wednesday, accused Obi of making what he described as “reckless” claims about the need for greater government commitment to sports development.

He questioned Obi’s record in the sector during his eight years as governor of Anambra, alleging that the state’s athletes, including athletes with disabilities, were poorly treated under his administration.

Onanuga said Obi was now advocating greater Federal Government investment in sports despite what he described as his own poor record in managing the sector as governor.

The presidential aide did not provide specific spending figures or details of sports projects in Anambra to substantiate the allegations in his post. The claims about the treatment of athletes have also not been independently established in the reports reviewed.

Obi had called for greater investment in sports after attending a Nigeria Premier Football League match between Ikorodu City and Enugu Rangers at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos.

He expressed concern over the low attendance at the fixture and said Nigeria was failing to fully harness its sporting potential.

Obi argued that sports could be used to create employment, engage young people and help address crime if properly developed.

He cited countries such as Brazil and Jamaica as examples of nations that had used sports to create opportunities for their citizens.

“Nigeria has no shortage of sporting talent. What we lack is the vision and commitment to turn that talent into opportunities for our young people,” Obi said.

Onanuga, however, challenged the former governor to account for his administration’s record in sports before criticising the Federal Government’s approach to the sector.

The exchange comes as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general election, with government officials and opposition figures increasingly scrutinising each other’s records in office.