The 2021 Nigeria Basketball Federation Electoral Committee has said there is no going back on the chosen date for the polls despite the discordant voices that have rented the air in the build-up to the Elective Congress.
The Committee insisted that the 2021 elections will still go on as earlier scheduled in the ancient city of Benin come Saturday, 30th of October.
The Dr Lanre Glover chaired committee is unaware of changes since the Ministry’s pronouncement dated 30th, September which recognised the supremacy of the 2019 NBBF Constitution forming “the basis of the next elections and the resolution of any conflict that may emanate from it” as well as the power of the Congress
The committee said it was not aware of any constitutional changes between then and now that could warrant or justify a volte-face on the holding of elections.
“The Electoral Committee was set up by a duly constituted Congress of the NBBF and is responsible to that Congress, whose authority is supreme”.
To this end, the Committee under the former chairman of the International Handball Federation Electoral Committee has decided in its meeting held on 26th of October decided that the elections will still go on as planned
“That they will conduct the NBBF election on the 30th of October, 2021 as stipulated by the NBBF Congress”.
According to the letter signed by the Director of the Federation of Elite of Athletes Department, Dr. S. E. Ebhojiaye, the Nigeria Olympics Committee and the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development can only supervise and not conduct the elections.
The letter which was explicitly announced to supersede any other statement or position of the Ministry on the matter said the NOC and FMYSD will be observers alongside FIBA with the NBBF constitution reigning supreme.
Due to the confusion created by the announcement (by the ministry), they have extended the submission date for nominations to noon of 29th, October 2021
Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has ordered the immediate dissolution of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) Caretaker Committee headed by Musa Kida, ahead of the federation’s elections.
In a letter addressed to Kida and Prof. Florence Adeyanju, member, Caretaker Committee, NBBF, the sports ministry, thanked the duo for their contributions to the development of basketball in Nigeria.
The statement, signed by the Secretary-General of NBBF, Afolabi-Oluwayemi Olabisi, said: “As you may recall that the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, on May 4, 2021, inaugurated the Caretaker Committees for 31 National Sports Federations, including Basketball, to run the affairs of the respective Federations ahead of elections of their new Boards.
“As the Nigeria Basketball Federation prepares for its Elective Congress, I am directed to inform you that the Federation’s Caretaker Committee has been dissolved with immediate effect.
“The Federation appreciates your contribution to the development of Basketball in Nigeria.” the letter added.
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