NBBF Electoral Congress’ deadline moved to January 30
World basketball governing body, Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA), has extended the deadline earlier given to Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) to hold its electoral congress to January 30, 2022.
FIBA had earlier given NBBF a deadline, which ended yesterday, November 30, to conduct elections into the board of the federation.
The new date, according to FIBA, is expected to give basketball stakeholders enough time to resolve their differences and organise fresh elections that would usher in new representatives into the NBBF.
Immediate past vice president of the federation, Babs Oganade, who is also a member of the Reconciliation Committee set up by the Ministry of Sports to bring the warring parties together, told The Guardian yesterday that FIBA decided to shift grounds following outgoing NBBF President, Musa Kida’s appeal to the world body to allow warring parties in Nigeria’s basketball family settle their differences and organise elections.
He debunked reports that January 30 has been picked to hold NBBF elective congress, saying the date for the polls would be chosen after the Reconciliation Committee submits its report on December 7.
Ogunade also added that nobody has the right to announce a new date for the NBBF election except the present NBBF board, which is still recognised by FIBA.
“Musa Kida, who is still the only person recognised by FIBA, wrote to the world body to give Nigeria’s basketball stakeholders more time to settle their differences. FIBA yielded to his call… this is why D’Tigers were allowed to feature in the FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifiers in Angola”.
“January 30 has been fixed as deadline, but this does not mean elective congress cannot hold before the FIBA deadline. When the Reconciliation Committee submits its report by December 7, discussions on a new date for election will be at the front burner,” he said.
Ogunade also noted that NBBF decided to accept the Sports Ministry’s postponement of elections to avoid being banned by FIBA.
Njidda Usa/The Guardian
