TSF Dismisses NDC’s Claims, Defends Tinubu’s Record on Rewards for Nigerian Athletes
Oru LeonardÂ
The Tinubu Stakeholders Forum (TSF) has dismissed allegations by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu makes “fake promises” to Nigerian athletes, insisting that the administration has demonstrated a verifiable record of fulfilling commitments made to the country’s sportsmen and women.
In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Ahmad Sajoh, and Secretary, Danjuma Sada, the group described the NDC’s claims as misleading and inconsistent with publicly available evidence.
According to the statement, the Tinubu administration has already implemented significant aspects of reward packages announced for outstanding Nigerian athletes and teams.
The forum recalled that following Nigeria’s participation in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), President Tinubu approved a reward package for members of the Super Eagles, including national honours, houses and land allocations. It noted that beneficiaries have since received title documents and certificates as proof of the government’s commitment to fulfilling those promises.
TSF also pointed to the achievements of Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, stating that players have received title documents for the houses promised by the President, alongside their national honours. It added that the National Sports Commission has confirmed that the cash component of the reward package is currently being processed through the appropriate government financial institutions.
The group further referenced the President’s reward package for the Super Falcons after their triumph at the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), describing it as one of the most generous ever announced for a Nigerian team. The package includes national honours, cash awards and three-bedroom apartments, with implementation reportedly ongoing through relevant government agencies.
“These are verifiable facts. They contradict the NDC’s sweeping claim that the President merely makes promises without taking steps to fulfil them,” the statement said.
While urging the relevant agencies to complete the implementation of all outstanding components of the athletes’ reward packages, TSF stressed that Nigerian sportsmen and women deserve timely recognition for their contributions to national pride.
The forum also argued that the Tinubu administration has outperformed previous governments in rewarding athletes, noting that similar promises made by past administrations often remained unfulfilled for years.
“It is important to place this issue in its proper historical context. Successive administrations made similar promises to Nigerian athletes that remained unfulfilled for years and, in some cases, decades.
“By contrast, the Tinubu administration has commenced implementation within its tenure, with documented evidence of houses, title documents and national honours already delivered in several cases,” the statement added.
The group concluded by urging political actors to base public discourse on facts rather than what it described as selective narratives.
“The NDC cannot erase documented facts with political rhetoric. A government that has already begun delivering on its commitments to Nigerian athletes cannot honestly be accused of making only fake promises. Nigerians deserve politics anchored on truth, not selective narratives designed to manufacture outrage,” the statement said.
