From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The crisis rocking the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has worsened following the petition of concerned stakeholders and presidential candidates in the forthcoming elections into the federation sent to President Bola Tinubu over alleged irregularities and constitutional breaches in the electoral process for the 2026-2030 term.
The petition dated October 12, addressed to the President and copied to the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, the stakeholders accused the outgoing President of the NBBF, Engr. Ahmadu Musa Kida, doubling as the Chairman of NNPC Ltd, of compromising the process.
Signed by three presidential aspirants, comprising Mr. Igoche Mark, Presidential Candidate/North Central Rep, Mr. Olumide Oyedeji, Presidential Candidate/NBBF Member/South West Rep, and Mr. Ejike Ugboaja, Presidential Candidate/South East Rep, the petitioners expressed deep worries over the direction of the elections.
“We, the undersigned stakeholders and candidates in the forthcoming Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) elections for the 2026–2030 term, most respectfully wish to draw your attention to grave irregularities and constitutional breaches in the ongoing electoral process. We are deeply concerned that the outgoing President of the NBBF, Engr. Ahmadu Musa Kida, who is also the Chairman of NNPC Ltd, has compromised the process to favour his anointed candidate, Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi, Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria,” the petition reads.
The stakeholders further alleged that barely two weeks to the Extraordinary and Elective Congresses, the leadership of the federation has embarked on arbitrary removal of legitimate state chairmen and delegates.
According to the petitioners; “Barely two weeks to the Extraordinary and Elective Congresses, over fifteen legitimate State Basketball Association Chairmen and representatives have been arbitrarily removed and replaced with unqualified persons to secure votes for his preferred candidate.”
“The affected states include Zamfara, Kaduna, Gombe, Benue, Kwara, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Niger, Edo and Taraba. This action, executed with huge financial inducement and abuse of influence, including the support of some State Governors, is inimical to all principles of fairness, equity and the NBBF Constitution. Some candidates have also been left out of positions they have applied for by the Electoral Committee,” they stated.
The petitioners further questioned the eligibility of Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi to lead the basketball federation while still serving as a Chief Executive of a Federal Government agency, arguing that, “It is trite that under the Public Service Rules (PSR) on Part-Time Commercial Activity, under the Nigeria Public Service Rules (2026 Edition), a full time public servant, especially the Chief Accounting Officer (CEO) and Accounting Officer of a Government Agency is prohibited from engaging in any business, occupation or private running of organizations that will detract him or her from their full time official duties.”
“Therefore, we are concerned that Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi, being a serving public officer heading a critical Federal Government agency, may not have the full commitment which the leadership of the NBBF demands,” they noted.
While appealing to President Tinubu to urgently intervene to save the sport, the aggrieved stakeholders therefore noted: “In view of the foregoing, we humbly appeal to Your Excellency to kindly direct the National Sports Commission (NSC), to halt the process, and investigate these breaches before any election takes place in exercise of its oversight functions in order to ensure transparency, fairness and compliance with the Constitution and thus preserve the integrity of Nigerian basketball.”