The raging controversy over unpaid Super Eagles bonuses has taken a sharp political twist, with presidential aide Bayo Onanuga attacking former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi.
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy took a swipe at Obi after the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate criticised the Federal Government and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over reports that the Super Eagles were owed match bonuses.
The storm began when Obi raised alarm on X, reacting to reports that the national team had threatened not to travel to Marrakech for their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) match against Algeria unless all outstanding winning bonuses were settled.
Calling the situation a national disgrace, Obi lamented what he described as Nigeria’s persistent failure to honour agreements with its players.
“When will this embarrassment end? Can we get through a day without troubling news in this country?” Obi asked, stressing that the Super Eagles had long served as a source of joy and unity for Nigerians.
“At a time when Nigerians need joy and unity… these same players are being denied their basic match allowances,” he wrote.
The former governor went further, slamming government priorities and accusing authorities of misplaced spending.
“A country that writes off trillions in debts for government agencies and political allies, and squanders money on grandiose, self-serving projects, now struggles to pay the basic match bonuses owed to our players,” Obi stated.
He warned that the players “do not deserve this embarrassment or the avoidable distractions ahead of a crucial quarter-final match,” urging the country to “fulfil its obligations.”
But Onanuga was having none of it.
Reacting directly under Obi’s post, the presidential aide dismissed the criticism and mocked the former governor’s intervention.
“Mr Bitter Peter, must you weaponise every issue?” Onanuga wrote.
As the online clash gathered momentum, the Minister of State for Finance, Mrs Doris Uzoka-Anite, stepped in with assurances that the bonus saga was nearing resolution.
In a post on her official X account on Thursday, Uzoka-Anite said the administrative bottlenecks delaying payment had been cleared, revealing that processes for the disbursement of Super Eagles’ AFCON 2025 match bonuses had been successfully streamlined.
