Former Super Eagles striker Obafemi Martins is set to stage a youth football tournament in support of President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign.
Martins, 41, announced the ‘Renewed Hope Youth Tournament’ during an interview with TVC, saying the competition would be held in November and feature teams representing Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, alongside two or three additional teams.
The former Inter Milan forward said he would personally finance the tournament, describing it as an expression of support for Tinubu’s efforts and an initiative to create opportunities for Nigerian youths.
‘There’s a tournament that I’m doing for His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu that I’m doing for his campaign, the Renewed Hope Youth Tournament, and I’m doing it with geopolitical zones, which is six, and I’m adding two to three more teams with it,’ Martins said.
He said the tournament was not only intended to support Tinubu’s re-election bid but also to provide opportunities for young Nigerians.
‘I’m just happy to do it for the president with all his hard work and all that. And that is not just for the president; it’s for the Nigerians and the Nigerian youth as well, how we can help them,’ he said.
Martins confirmed that he would fund the tournament himself and that it would take place in November.
‘Yes, I’m doing it in November,’ he said when asked whether he would finance the competition himself.
The announcement comes about two weeks after Martins expressed support for Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu, becoming president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in the future.