Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe at former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi over reports that the Federal Government denied him access to Nigeria's victorious U-17 female football team following their World Cup success.

Olayinka criticised the former Anambra State governor in a social media post, where he questioned what Obi might have done if he had been given the opportunity to meet the players and celebrate their achievement.

In his commentary, the FCT minister's aide suggested that Obi would have taken photographs with the footballers and their trophy before publishing the pictures on social media. He further claimed that the former presidential candidate might have used the occasion to portray himself as someone who personally went to the airport to welcome the team after learning that no senior Federal Government official was available to receive them.

Olayinka used the post to ridicule what he portrayed as Obi's tendency to attract public attention through such appearances. He accompanied his criticism with a derogatory expression directed at the former governor, adding to the politically charged nature of the exchange.

In the post, Olayinka wrote, “That’s how the Packaged Fraud would have taken pictures with the girls and the Trophy they won, rushed to Social Media to post the pictures and claim that he had to go to the airport to receive them when he heard that no top federal govt official was available to receive the girls.”

He concluded the publication with the word “LIEnus,” apparently as another attempt to mock Obi.

The disagreement is connected to reports surrounding access to Nigeria's U-17 female football team after their successful campaign at the World Cup. The team's achievement attracted public attention, while the circumstances surrounding its reception and interactions with prominent individuals also became a subject of discussion.

Olayinka's comments have consequently added to the political exchanges involving individuals associated with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and supporters of Obi, who remains a prominent figure in opposition politics.

However, his remarks about how Obi would have behaved at the airport were speculative and represented Olayinka's personal opinion. They do not establish that Obi attempted to take photographs with the players or made any claim about personally welcoming the team.