Datti Baba-Ahmed, the Labor Party’s (LP) vice-presidential candidate, says Nigeria will never fail to qualify for the World Cup if the party is elected.
Baba-Ahmed spoke during a town hall meeting hosted by Channels Television on Sunday.
The Nigerian Super Eagles failed to qualify for the recently concluded Qatar 2022 World Cup after Ghana won their ticket in March 2022.
The development was sour for football lovers in the country as they watched other African countries take part in the competition.
Speaking on sports development and entertainment, Baba-Ahmed said the LP government will “move mountains” to ensure Nigeria wins the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire.
He added that in order to achieve the goals, LP management would ensure that people representing Nigeria in sports are never owed salaries or allowances.
“Let me appreciate the contribution of the Nigerian youth in taking the country to the world and adding value to our GDP,” said the LP vice-presidential candidate.
“It was painful to watch the 2022 World Cup without the Super Eagles. But when the next Africa Cup of Nations comes around, I’ll be sure to move mountains to make sure the cup gets to Nigeria.
“And there is no way the World Cup is going to be played without Nigeria, we are past that stage. It won’t happen again.
“This is entertainment, sport is entertainment, and then we are going to proliferate with infrastructure and [the] reward [will be] reaching the participants.
“Nigerian players’ wages or allowances will never be delayed by an hour. We will be there to ensure they are compensated, link them with industries and companies, and raise their profiles internationally.”
The Eagles will resume their AFCON qualifying campaign in March, a few weeks after the presidential elections scheduled for February 25.
