‘How can Nigeria not qualify for World Cup?’ — Obi promises better investment in sports

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), says it is not in Nigeria’s best interest to miss out on the 2022 World Cup.

Obi spoke on Saturday at the flag-off ceremony of the LP presidential campaign in Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa state.

The 2022 World Cup is scheduled to commence on November 20 in Qatar.

TheCable had reported how Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup after the Super Eagles played a 1-1 draw against the Black Stars of Ghana.

At the time, fans invaded the recently refurbished Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja where the match was played, and vandalised facilities in protest of the team’s failure to qualify for the World Cup.

Speaking on Saturday, Obi said if elected president, his government will invest in sports and information technology.

“A country like Nigeria — a country of 200 million people — we did not qualify for the World Cup,” he said.

“Both of us (referring to Datti-Baba Ahmed, his running mate) will put money into sports.

“We will go to the World Cup always. We will put money into ICT. How can they play the World Cup without Nigeria? That cannot be.”

Meanwhile, Cameroon, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia, and Ghana will represent Africa at the 2022 World Cup.