Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s Presidential Candidate in the last election, has called for a comprehensive investigation into Nigeria’s disappointing performance at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Obi voiced his concerns in a series of posts on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday.
A particularly troubling incident highlighted the challenges faced by Nigeria’s athletes: Ese Ukpeseraye, Nigeria’s first-ever Olympic cyclist, was forced to borrow a bike from the German team to compete. Originally registered only for the women’s road race, Ukpeseraye was asked to participate in the keirin and sprint events at the last minute, without having the necessary equipment. The German cycling team stepped in, lending her a bike so she could compete.
Ukpeseraye shared her experience on social media, expressing gratitude to the German team for their sportsmanship. “Due to the short notice of me competing in the keirin & sprint, #TeamNigeria, I had no bicycle to race with on the tracks,” she wrote on X. “In the spirit of sportsmanship, the German team came to my rescue by offering me a bicycle. Thank you.”
Nigeria ended the Paris 2024 Olympics without securing a single medal, echoing the nation’s performance at the London 2012 Games. Despite sending 88 athletes to compete in 12 sports, the country fell short of expectations, with medal hopefuls like Tobi Amusan, Blessing Oborududu, Favour Ofili, Ese Brume, and Quadri Aruna failing to win any medals.
In his posts, Obi criticized the gross misconduct and administrative failures that contributed to Nigeria’s poor performance. “I call on the government to investigate these gross misconducts and ensure that those responsible are held accountable. The continued recklessness and mismanagement in our leadership have once again embarrassed our nation on the international stage,” Obi stated.
He questioned how countries like Jamaica, which spent far less than Nigeria, managed to secure multiple medals while Nigeria, with its substantial financial investment of N12 billion, came home empty-handed. “We spent over N136 million per athlete, yet won nothing. This is a clear indication of the incompetence and favoritism that plagues our sports administration,” Obi said.
Obi also pointed out the case of Favour Ofili, a sprinter who was wrongly excluded from the 100m race, and Annette Echikunwoke, a former Nigerian hammer thrower who switched allegiance to the United States after facing similar administrative challenges. “These athletes were denied the opportunity to represent Nigeria due to the same administrative recklessness that has become all too common,” Obi noted.
He further criticized the presence of non-essential personnel at the Olympics, accusing them of misusing national resources. “Some officials who had no reason to be in Paris were there, living large on estacodes while our athletes struggled. The incident of Ese Ukpeseraye borrowing a bicycle to compete is a stark example of the mismanagement we face,” he added.
In response to the widespread criticism, Nigeria’s Minister of Sports, John Enoh, apologized for the poor Olympic performance. “The Paris 2024 Olympic Games have ended, and I acknowledge that our performance fell short of expectations. I apologize to Nigerians and promise to reflect on what went wrong as we prepare for the upcoming Paralympic Games,” Enoh said.
