*Allege Manipulation Of 2026-2030 Polls Process
By Tony Ezimakor, Abuja
Presidential aspirants and stakeholders in the forthcoming Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) elections have petitioned President Bola Tinubu over alleged irregularities and constitutional breaches ahead of the 2026-2030 polls as the crisis dogging the body deepened.
In the petition dated 12 October, 2026, addressed to the President and copied the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen; and Secretary to Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, the stakeholders also alleged that outgoing president of NBBF, Engr. Ahmadu Musa Kida, was bent on compromising the process and perpetuate lingering crisis that had bedevilled the federation.
Kida, who is also the Chairman of Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd, had run a turbulent two-term presidency during which the sport floundered badly.
The petition was jointly signed by three presidential aspirants – 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 grave concerns about the trajectory of basketball in the country amidst abundant talents, warning that the electoral process should not in anyway be compromised.
“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 read.
The stakeholders alleged that barely two weeks to the federation’s Extraordinary and Elective Congresses, the leadership of NBBF embarked on arbitrary removal of legitimate state chairmen and delegates.
“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 claimed.
The petitioners further questioned the eligibility of Dr. Abdullahi to lead the federation while still serving as Chief Executive of a Federal Government agency.
They argued 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 runnings of organizations that will detract 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.”
The aggrieved stakeholders therefore, appealed to President Tinubu to urgently intervene to save the sport.
“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,” the petition concluded.
