Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate for the 2027 election, Peter Obi, has congratulated African countries participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate also said Cape Verde’s remarkable run to the knockout stage demonstrates that national success depends more on leadership and planning than size or population, while attributing Nigeria’s failure to qualify to poor leadership.

PUNCH Online reports that 10 African teams featured in the tournament. Eight have been eliminated so far, leaving only Morocco and Egypt in the Round of 16.

Seven teams reached the Round of 32 before exiting the competition, while Tunisia were eliminated in the group stage.

Cape Verde produced one of the tournament’s standout performances.

The debutants drew tough Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia to progress to the knockout stage before pushing defending champions Argentina to extra time, where the South Americans secured victory.

In a statement posted on his X handle on Sunday, Obi singled out Cape Verde for praise, noting that the small island nation had defied expectations by reaching the knockout stage despite its relatively small landmass and population.

“Congratulations to all the African countries representing our continent at the World Cup. Your performances have made Africa proud,” he wrote.

Obi said Cape Verde had shown that effective planning and disciplined execution could enable even the smallest countries to compete on the global stage.

“Special congratulations to Cape Verde, a nation with a landmass of 4,033 sq km, which is less than 0.5% of Nigeria’s landmass of 923,768 sq km, and a population of about 550,000, which is less than 0.25% of Nigeria’s population of 230,000,000.

“For context, Cape Verde has about 200,000 fewer people than Ogbomoso. Yet, they reached the knockout stage of the World Cup.”

According to Obi, Cape Verde’s achievement should serve as a lesson for Nigeria, stressing that success is built on functional systems rather than demographic or geographical advantages.

“Cape Verde has once again demonstrated that greatness is not determined by size or population, but by planning and disciplined execution. When systems work, even the smallest nations can compete with the best in the world,” he said.

The former Anambra State governor attributed Nigeria’s absence from the tournament to what he described as years of poor administration and weak institutions, rather than a shortage of football talent.

“Nigeria’s absence from the World Cup is not a consequence of a lack of talent. It is the result of years of poor administration, weak institutions, and leadership that has consistently failed to build sustainable systems,” he stated.

He urged Nigeria to prioritise good leadership, institutional reforms and meritocracy, saying such measures would position the country for success beyond football.

“This is the lesson for us as a nation: if we can get leadership right, strengthen our institutions, plan and execute properly, and reward talent over connections, Nigeria can become a global success story, not only in football but also in other areas.” (The PUNCH)

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