Group Rejects Imposition, Calls for Level Playing Field, Equal Treatment of Aspirants and Free Choice by Delegates
By Chioma Vivian James
A group of concerned stakeholders in Nigerian basketball has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to pay close attention to the forthcoming Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) elections and ensure that the process produces a leadership that is credible, inclusive and freely chosen by accredited delegates.
The stakeholders’ appeal comes amid concerns surrounding the process leading to the election of the next NBBF board, with the group insisting that no individual or candidate should be imposed on the basketball community.
The NBBF Extra-Ordinary Congress held in Yola on September 25, 2026, approved October 15, 2026, for the elective congress in Abuja, with the new board expected to commence its mandate on October 16. The congress also approved a seven-member electoral committee to oversee the process.
According to the group, the forthcoming election should not be reduced to a contest between personalities, camps or regions. Rather, it should be viewed as an opportunity to strengthen Nigerian basketball through fairness, inclusion, credible representation and a leadership capable of uniting the various interests within the sport.
SOUTH-EAST SEEKS FAIR CONSIDERATION
A major point raised by the stakeholders is the need for the South-East to receive fair consideration in the emerging leadership equation.
The group stressed that its call for consideration of a South-East candidate should not be interpreted as a demand for automatic entitlement or an attempt to exclude qualified aspirants from other parts of the country.
Instead, it described the position as an appeal for geographical balance and broader inclusion in the leadership of a national federation that belongs to all Nigerians.
The stakeholders noted that the NBBF presidency has, in recent years, been associated with Northern leadership. FIBA records show that Tijjani Umar served as NBBF president before the leadership transition that eventually brought Musa Kida to the helm in 2017.
With the current board approaching the end of its recognised tenure, the group believes the 2026 transition presents an opportunity for stakeholders to consider qualified candidates from regions that have had less representation at the highest level of the federation.
“The South-East is not asking for favour. We are asking for fairness, inclusion and an opportunity for competent stakeholders from the region to participate meaningfully in the leadership of Nigerian basketball,” the group said.
It further argued that geographical balance, where freely embraced by stakeholders, could strengthen confidence in national sporting institutions by ensuring that different regions and constituencies see themselves as legitimate participants in the governance of the sport.
NO TO IMPOSITION, LET DELEGATES DECIDE
The group also cautioned against any attempt to predetermine the outcome of the election or present a preferred candidate as though the delegates’ decision had already been made.
Reports have identified Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, and former D’Tigers player Ejike Ugboaja among those seeking the NBBF presidency.
The stakeholders maintained that every eligible aspirant should be subjected to the same rules, requirements and scrutiny, while accredited delegates should ultimately be allowed to exercise their franchise freely.
The call assumes added significance against the background of previous disputes surrounding NBBF elections. In 2017, competing elections produced rival claims to the presidency, eventually requiring intervention by FIBA.
The group therefore urged all parties involved in the 2026 process to avoid a repeat of past controversies and place the credibility of Nigerian basketball above individual or sectional interests.
APPEAL TO PRESIDENT TINUBU
The stakeholders appealed to President Tinubu, the National Sports Commission and other relevant authorities to protect the integrity of the electoral process by ensuring that:
- No candidate is imposed on the basketball community;
- All qualified aspirants are treated equally;
- Approved electoral guidelines are strictly followed;
- Accredited delegates are allowed to exercise their franchise freely;
- Regional, gender and stakeholder representation receive appropriate consideration; and
- The eventual winner emerges through a transparent and credible electoral process.
The group said Nigerian basketball requires a president capable of bringing together clubs, players, coaches, referees, administrators, sponsors and other stakeholders around a common vision for the development of the sport.
It also welcomed the statement attributed to outgoing NBBF President Musa Kida at the September 25 Extraordinary Congress that he was not seeking a third term and intended to ensure a free, fair and transparent election for the 2026–2030 board.
According to the stakeholders, that commitment should be reflected in an electoral process where no region, candidate or delegate is made to feel that the outcome has already been determined.
“The South-East deserves a seat at the table. But beyond the South-East, every basketball stakeholder deserves to know that the table is open, the rules are clear and the ballot—not influence, pressure or imposition—will determine the next leadership of Nigerian basketball,” the group said.
Signed:
Comrade Chukwuka Irodu
For the Concerned Basketball Stakeholders
