Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate for 2023, has expressed his disappointment over the withdrawal of Nigeria’s senior men’s national basketball team, D’Tigers, from the FIBA Afrobasket 2025 Qualifiers due to financial constraints.
In a statement released through his official handle on Friday, Obi described D’Tigers’ withdrawal as both disheartening and unfortunate. He expressed his dismay at the news of the team’s withdrawal due to a lack of funding.
Obi finds it regrettable that such troubling news is coming from Nigeria at a time when many nations are investing heavily in sports as a means of providing employment for their youth, generating government revenue, and repatriating foreign exchange from their overseas players. He believes that Nigeria should be aiming for the same.
He emphasized that sports have become a significant sector for the economic development and growth of nations. It plays a crucial role in transitioning the nation from consumption to production. He suggested that funds used for sponsoring political thugs, who contribute to societal unrest, should instead be directed towards helping the youth discover and develop their sporting talents.
In a diverse country like Nigeria, where sports play a critical role in maintaining unity and empowering the youth, Obi stressed the importance of investing in sports. He called on the Federal Government, the Federal Ministry Of Youth And Sports Development, and other relevant agencies to take swift action and resolve this issue promptly. This would enable D’Tigers to participate in the competition, motivating them to strive for victory.
