Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has charged Morocco to go all out for victory against France on Wednesday night.
“As the Atlas Lions of Morocco play their Semi-final match today, I urge them to go all out for victory. Indeed, may it be another happy day for Africa,” Obi wrote on Facebook.
Meanwhile, France have replaced Dayot Upamecano and Adrien Rabiot in their starting XI for the World Cup semi-final against Morocco due to illness.
Reports began to circulate on Tuesday that the two players were suffering from flu, and as such, they were deemed unable to line up at Al Bayt Stadium.
Juventus midfielder Rabiot was out of the squad entirely, remaining at the team’s base, but Upamecano took a place among the substitutes.
Rabiot had played in all five of France’s previous matches in the tournament, while Upamecano started all but their final group game, the defeat to Tunisia.
Drafted into their places were Youssouf Fofana and Ibrahima Konate, starting in midfield and center-back, respectively.
Otherwise, there were no changes to Didier Deschamps’ team from the side that beat England 2-1 in the quarter-finals.
Opponents Morocco also made changes, welcoming back key defensive pair Nayef Aguerd and Noussair Mazraoui following injuries.
But Walid Regragui’s line-up hinted at a change in the system as Aguerd replaced midfielder Selim Amallah, rather than fellow center-back Jawad El Yamiq.
France were looking to become the first reigning champions to reach the final of the World Cup since Brazil in 1998. The last European nation to do so were Italy in 1938.
If Les Bleus were to win, it would take Deschamps to 14 victories as a coach at the World Cup, a record bettered only by Helmut Schon (16).
