22-6-2025
Basketball Federation risks having two factions following the shifting of the federation election to October 2026.
The present board led by Musa Kida should be dissolved when the tenure expires in January 2026 and new elections held.
But the Kida administration is claiming that it was inaugurated by former Minister Sunday Dare in October 2022, but in actual the board was inaugurated in January. According to the constitution the tenure start a day after election… The Federation was sworn in immediately on the same date of the election.
Concerned stakeholders are now clamouring for new elections in January, when the tenure of the present board will expire.
“If this doesn’t happen there would be factions and this will take our basketball eight years back,” said a basketball official on Sunday.
“Concerned stakeholders are of the view elections should be held now to prevent basketball from being monopolised by a few individuals.
“We expect that the National Sports Commission to look beyond interests and act to save the sport.
“Holding elections October next year is a violation of the constitution, the board’s tenure has expired.”
He added that there were a lot of irregularities going on in the present board and that should be a concern the NSC that professed to run Nigerian sports with upmost professionalism.
“For four years now, there was not a single congress, whereas the constitution says there must be one Congress every year.
“There is no accountability on how money is collected and spent. Mr. Kida always pick fights when questions are asked by board members.
“There is no basketball league, nothing is happening and yet we want this continue.”
In 2017 the NBBF was split into factions led by Tijani Umar and Musa Kida after Sports Minister Solomon Dalung encouraged Kida to run a counter federation. Federation of International Basketball Association after months of mediation officially recognised the Kida faction in 2021.