By Destiny Temisan Jemiriayegbe
Attention: His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR
A group of concerned stakeholders in Nigerian basketball has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to pay close attention to the ongoing leadership transition in the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) and ensure that the forthcoming elections are conducted transparently, inclusively and without imposition of any candidate.
The group made the call against the backdrop of concerns being expressed by some stakeholders over the process leading to the election of the next NBBF leadership.
The NBBF Extra-Ordinary Congress held in Yola on September 25, 2026, approved October 15, 2026, for the elective congress in Abuja, while the new board is expected to commence its mandate on October 16. A seven-member electoral committee was also approved.
The group stressed that the issue before Nigerian basketball stakeholders should not be reduced to personalities or regional rivalry, but should be about fairness, inclusion, credible representation and the long-term development of basketball in Nigeria.
Why the South-East should be given fair consideration
According to the group, the argument for a South-East candidate at this stage is not a demand for automatic entitlement or a rejection of candidates from other parts of Nigeria.
Rather, it is a call for geographical balance and broader inclusion in the leadership of a federation that belongs to every part of the country.
The group 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 placed Musa Kida at the helm in 2017. Kida’s board is now approaching the end of its FIBA-recognised tenure.
It therefore argues that the 2026 transition provides an opportunity to widen representation and give serious consideration to qualified stakeholders from the South-East.
“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 regional balance, where voluntarily embraced by stakeholders, can strengthen confidence in national sporting institutions because every part of the country can see itself as having a legitimate stake in leadership.
No imposition, let the delegates decide
The group also cautioned against any attempt to predetermine the outcome of the election or present a preferred candidate as though the 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 group said the credentials of every eligible aspirant should be subjected to the same rules and scrutiny, with accredited delegates ultimately allowed to make their choice through a credible electoral process.
This position is particularly important because NBBF elections have historically been accompanied by disputes. In 2017, competing elections produced rival claims to the presidency, eventually requiring FIBA intervention.
Appeal to President Tinubu
The group therefore appealed to President Tinubu, the National Sports Commission and other relevant stakeholders to protect the integrity of the process by ensuring that:
- No candidate is imposed on the basketball family;
- All qualified aspirants are treated equally;
- The approved electoral guidelines are strictly followed;
- Accredited delegates are allowed to exercise their franchise freely;
- Regional, gender and stakeholder representation are given appropriate consideration; and
- The eventual winner emerges from a transparent and credible process.
The group said Nigerian basketball needs a president who can bring together clubs, players, coaches, referees, administrators, sponsors and other stakeholders across the country.
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.
The group said that commitment should now be matched by an electoral process in which no region or individual is made to feel that the outcome has been predetermined.
“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.”
Signed:
Comrade Chukwuka Irodu
For the Concerned Basketball Stakeholders