Former Anambra State Governor and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has sparked mixed reactions online following his appearance at the inauguration of the Abuja campaign office of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde.

The event, held on Monday in the Federal Capital Territory, was attended by Makinde’s supporters, Obi and other members of the APM.

Videos of the event shared online showed Obi expressing solidarity with Makinde and describing him as a qualified candidate for the presidency.

Obi said his presence at the inauguration was aimed at promoting cooperation among political leaders and allowing Nigerians to freely choose their preferred candidate.

“You have a candidate who is contesting for President today. My dear brother, Seyi Makinde, is he qualified to be President? Yes. He’s qualified,” Obi said.

He added that whoever emerged victorious through a free and credible election should be supported by others to work towards addressing the country’s challenges.

“Whoever wins, genuinely, from a free, fair, credible election, all of us want to work together to save this country from collapse. That is why I’m here, to show solidarity, to assure you that we are changing the people,” he said.

“We don’t want policies of quarrel, policies of disagreement. Let our quarrel be to feed our people,” he added.

He further expressed his desire for a country where citizens could achieve their aspirations regardless of their background or connections.

“We want Nigeria where a child of nobody can be somebody without knowing anybody. That’s what we want,” Obi added.

The speech, however, triggered varied reactions online, with some social media users praising Obi’s position, while others questioned the decision of a presidential candidate to appear at the campaign event of another presidential contender.

Omo_asunmogejo wrote: “Is Peter Obi not a ‘gbewudani’ by joining the campaign of another presidential candidate in an election that he himself is a candidate. If he is serious about his own campaign he won’t have time to be campaigning for another presidential candidate.”

Deximal simply reacted: “Lol. Presidential candidate at the inauguration of another presidential candidate.”

Segun Benson suggested that there could be more to the development, writing: “Something is cooking underneath. Well, once done, we will all see it, whether to eat it or trash it.”

Paul Bushman criticised Obi’s approach, describing it as “naive politics.” He wrote: “Can you see a democrat or republican at another party’s function endorsing their candidate while also contesting for the same position? Nothing like politics without bitterness. Obi lacks ideological faithfulness. No wonder he changes parties easily.”

Tripsoflife also questioned the development, writing “Obidients are supporting and marketing @PeterObi an NDC presidential candidate, in return Obi is marketing @seyimakinde of the APM. Stop Obi from attending places you guys think it was a joke, soon baba go campaign for Atiku and Tinubu. Obi(MTN) everywhere you go.”

However, some users defended Obi, arguing that his appearance demonstrated a willingness to put national interest above personal political ambition.

Odyssey wrote: “This man only cares about Nigerians. He’s not desperate to be president. He just wants to save Nigerians, so let’s try our best to support his goal for us all. Nigerians Wake up.”

Jeremial Olaposi described Obi’s approach as “the more you look, the less you see style of politics.”

Nigeria’s preparations for the World Wrestling Championship in Astana, Kazakhstan, have entered a crucial phase following the conclusion of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation’s (NWF) intensive open camp programme in Oklahoma, United States.

The camp, sanctioned by NWF President Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, was organised to provide foreign-based Nigerian wrestlers and athletes with valid visas the opportunity to train and compete in a high-level environment ahead of the global championship.

Rather than limiting preparations for routine training sessions, the Oklahoma programme exposed the Nigerian wrestlers to quality opposition through a series of dual meets against athletes from NCAA Division I universities in the United States.

The competitive exposure gave the athletes an opportunity to test their technical and physical readiness against wrestlers competing within one of the world’s strongest collegiate wrestling systems.

Nigeria’s Women’s Wrestling Head Coach, Akuh Purity, described the exercise as an important assessment of the team’s current level, while revealing that the lessons from the camp are already being applied in the team’s ongoing closed-camp programme.

“It was a very valuable experience and gave us an excellent opportunity to assess where we currently stand.”

According to Purity, the dual meets did more than provide competition — they exposed specific areas of the athletes’ performances that needed immediate correction before the World Championships.

“Following the open camp, we transitioned into a closed camp, where we are currently training. We are using this period to specifically address and correct some of the mistakes and weaknesses I identified during the open camp and duals.”

The coach said the wrestlers have responded positively to the demanding programme, with the squad continuing to work intensely as the countdown to Astana gathers momentum.

“The girls are working extremely hard, and we remain committed to making the necessary improvements as we continue our preparation.”

The Oklahoma camp is part of the NWF’s broader strategy to ensure that Nigeria’s wrestlers are adequately prepared for the demands of the World Championships.

The federation’s decision to utilise the United States as one of the team’s preparation bases also reflects the importance being attached to quality opposition, international exposure and competitive readiness.

Purity expressed appreciation to Adeniyi and the NWF leadership for supporting the programme and ensuring that preparations are being strengthened ahead of the global event.

“We appreciate the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, led by Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, for the tremendous support and contribution towards ensuring that the necessary preparations are put in place for the World Championships.”

With the open camp now completed, attention has shifted to the closed phase, where the coaching crew is concentrating on correcting weaknesses and sharpening the athletes’ technical, tactical and physical qualities.

The objective is clear: Nigeria wants to arrive in Astana not merely to participate, but to challenge for honours.

The country’s wrestlers will also carry the added motivation of ending Nigeria’s wait for a World Championship medal. Nigeria’s most recent podium finish at the senior World Championships came in 2023, and the team will be determined to return to the medal table in Kazakhstan.

For Purity and her athletes, the Oklahoma experience has provided valuable information. The challenge now is to convert those lessons into improvements before the opening whistle in Astana.

The open camp has closed, but Nigeria’s real wrestling test is only getting closer — and this time, the target is the World Championship podium.