Mario Balotelli has lampooned
Nigerian born Italy's first black Senator Tony Iwobi for standing in the
Italian elections for far-right anti-immigrant league party.
The Nigerian is counting
his blessings after emerging as Senator elect from the Northern Industrial City
of Brescia considered a major immigration hub in Italy, but Balotteli of the
"Why Always Me" fame is not amused at all taking to his instagram to
give the Nigerian born senator a piece of his mind.
'Maybe I'm blind or
maybe they haven't told him that he's black yet. Disgrace!' Balotelli wrote on Tuesday in a post that was
subsequently removed.
Balotelli, who was born
in Palermo to Ghanaian parents and has played 33 times for Italy, has long been
a target for racist abuse.
Iwobi has long argued
along with League leader Matteo Salvini that increased racism in Italy should
be blamed on illegal immigration.
Balotelli posted a photo
showing Iwobi, 60, and Salvini both wearing t-shirts emblazoned with the
campaign slogan 'Stop invasion'.
The slogan is reference
to the more than 690,000 migrants who have landed on Italian shores from North
Africa since 2013.
The League blames the
arrivals for 'social conflict' and making Italian cities less safe.
Born in Gusau in
northern Nigeria but living in Italy since the 1970s, Iwobi has been a
supporter of the League for more than two decades.
But the Senator in a
swift reaction advised the former Manchester City and Liverpools ace to
concentrate on his own area of calling.
'I'm not interested in
what Balotelli thinks,' Iwobi said in response. 'He's a great footballer; I
hope he sticks to doing what he's good at.
Meanwhile, Italy's
anti-establishment Five Star Movement reached out to leftist parties on
Wednesday in a bid to end the stalemate from a general election, even as a
rightwing alliance lobbied for its right to rule.
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