The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has been ravaged by an internal crisis that has plagued it for over 16 years. CHRISTIAN OKPARA reports that something must yield for peace to return to the body, which holds its elective congress in Abuja today.

Among top basketball-playing countries, the hoops game is big business, which confers many advantages on managers, including financial influence and the power to advance their interests, such as getting their players or wards into the prestigious NBA or American colleges.

The quest to control these enormous powers has often caused friction among managers and aspiring officials, to the extent that they resort to different strategies to either hold on to power or get into power.

In Nigeria, such power struggles have often had damaging effects on the game.

For instance, since 2009, when Da Jacob Buba Gyang, a former Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service, left office as NBBF president, succession to the throne has become a four-year cycle of crises that divides stakeholders in the sport to the extent that some of them boycott activities of the federation until another election cycle.

The question many outsiders ask is, “Why are people desperate to be part of the NBBF governing circle?” According to some stakeholders, there are many benefits to serving on the federation’s board; this is even more so when one becomes the president of the federation, controlling enormous resources in the business.

In the 2025 season, the NBBF received total revenue of N598 million, comprising a N488 million government subvention and N110 million from Zenith Bank. This is apart from the subvention from FIBA, basketball’s world governing body, revenue from sponsorship deals with Total and other affiliates, as well as some extra-budgetary allocation for the men and women’s FIBA Afrobasket championships, World Cup qualifiers and the women’s World Cup.

Being on the board of the federation comes with visibility that brings international exposure to some board members, who use their position to interact with their counterparts from other countries and, in some cases, to present opportunities to cut collective and personal deals.

For the NBBF president, the opportunities are endless.

The election for a new executive committee to manage the NBBF for the next four years is taking place today, and there are signs that the body is already gearing up for another four years of leadership crisis.

The signs began to manifest at the last extraordinary congress of the federation in Yola, Adamawa State.

Apart from the allegation that the event was moved to Yola to ensure that those opposed to the outgoing leadership did not attend, there were questions about the legality and constitutional basis of the extraordinary congress held on September 25.

One of those opposed to the extraordinary congress was former national team coach, Ayodele Bakare, who attended the congress as a delegate.

In his personal account of the event, titled “The Memoirs of a Delegate to the 2026 NBBF Extraordinary Congress,” Bakare said that questions were raised over the validity of the congress.

He cited Article 20.2, which provides for an Ordinary Congress to be held yearly, with every fourth ordinary congress serving as an elective congress.

Bakare also questioned the continued exclusion of some board members by the leadership, saying that, in his account, no written evidence of resignation had been provided to contradict claims by some affected members that they had never resigned.

On the elections, Bakare questioned whether proceeding with an electoral process that he believes could face constitutional challenges would provide a lasting solution to the recurring disputes surrounding NBBF elections.

He warned against rushing into an election that could subsequently face legal or constitutional challenges.

Bakare also questioned the management of the federation’s finances, alleging that delegates were asked to approve the financial accounts before being given the opportunity to raise questions about them.

He quoted a statement made from the floor of the Congress as saying: “Let us first vote to accept the accounts presented, and then we can ask any questions later.”

Bakare said he and other delegates objected to the procedure but claimed the motion was nevertheless put to a vote and passed, resulting in the financial statements being entered into the official records as approved by Congress.

The Comets Basketball Club president described the process as inconsistent with what he considers proper financial accountability, stressing that his concerns were based on more than three decades of experience in managing sporting and other organisations.

Bakare also questioned the timing of the financial presentation, claiming that the accounts and auditor’s presentation were completed in a relatively short period despite the volume of information supposedly contained in the documents.

His account also raised a broader constitutional issue. Bakare said that the Yola gathering was the first Congress held since the inauguration of the current NBBF board, despite provisions requiring the Congress to meet yearly and receive financial statements.

He further explained that some delegates were last-minute replacements for state chairmen and suggested that this affected the voting process.

Many stakeholders believe that Bakare’s stance on the extraordinary congress contributed to his disqualification from contesting the presidency of the federation.

The electoral committee disqualified the former D’Tigers’ coach “for submitting his nomination form 12 minutes after the stipulated deadline on the due date.”

The development has raised questions about the application of the electoral guidelines, particularly following the committee’s decision to grant another presidential aspirant, Igoche Mark, an extension to fulfil a documentation requirement.

Mark, who reportedly submitted his nomination form without attaching his tax clearance certificate, was given until last Monday to provide the outstanding document.

The contrasting decisions have drawn attention to the committee’s handling of nomination requirements ahead of the polls.

Many of the opposing stakeholders allege that Bakare was disqualified to pave the way for a smooth ride for the Director General of the Nigeria Energy Commission, Dr Abdullahi Mustapha, who is said to be incumbent president Musa Kida’s preferred successor.

Apart from Mustapha, other candidates for the NBBF presidency are former NBA star, Ejike Ugboaja; third vice president of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Olumide Oyedeji, who is also a former national team captain and NBA star; renowned basketball promoter and club owner, Igoche Mark; and Bakare, who until yesterday was said to be insisting that he is still in the race.

Some of the stakeholders have threatened that there would be no election if the Kida-led board insists on handing over the board to his preferred candidate, Dr Mustapha, “by all means possible.”

One of the stakeholders challenged the electoral process, alleging that “they have skewed the processes, making it difficult for any other person to even get the form, let alone endorsements, from our zones.

“Stakeholders have been heavily disenfranchised, inducements are rampant, and that paves the way for the impositions they plan to execute on October 15.”

On Tuesday, the four aspirants contesting against Dr Mustapha protested to the Presidency, alleging the Kida-led board has connived with the National Sports Commission (NSC) to devise means of foisting the Nigeria Energy Commission boss as the next NBBF president.

In their letter made available to The Guardian, the petitioners alleged grave irregularities and constitutional breaches in the electoral process for the 2026-2030 term.

They accused the outgoing Kida, who is also the chairman of NNPC Ltd, of compromising the process.

The stakeholders alleged that, with barely two weeks to the Extraordinary and Elective Congresses, the leadership of the federation has embarked on arbitrary removal of legitimate state chairmen and delegates.

They said that the “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.”

To counter the protesting candidates and their supporters, another group known as “Friends of Nigeria Sports,” on Tuesday, warned those they termed disgruntled elements “to shelve every attempt to subvert the electoral process.”

They said that the warning became necessary because “some disgruntled individuals approached a court in Abuja to halt the electoral process, even as the court declined and pushed the hearing to a future date.”

National coordinator of Friends of Nigeria Sports, Diprieye Thompson, expressed his disappointment in the attempts to stop the elections.

He said: “Whatever the grouse of these people, attempting to stop the elections shows that they are not truly concerned about the growth and betterment of the game of basketball in Nigeria.

“They cannot claim to be oblivious or ignorant of the provisions of the NBBF Constitution, as it concerns dispute resolution therein, the NBBF 2019 Constitution, which deals with internal appeals, arbitration, suspension of associations, as well as the jurisdiction of regular courts.”

He also said that Article 30.7 states that internal disputes should first be referred to the NBBF Appeals Panel, with further appeals proceeding to CAS or NCAS.

“It’s obvious that approaching the regular court to stop the electoral process is a blatant disregard for the provisions in the constitution, as it concerns dispute resolution

Dismissing the allegations of manipulation of the electoral process raised by some stakeholders, NBBF board member Felix Awogu said that “the Electoral Committee is guided by a constitution of the NBBF as approved by FIBA and the NOC.”

Awogu said that those questioning the NBBF financial report should use the Freedom of Information Act to assess the documents, which he said are readily available.

He also dismissed the protests against the candidature of Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, saying: “Every qualified Nigerian has a right to contest the elections if he meets the qualifications as prescribed by the NBBF constitution. So far, all the major aspirants have been cleared to contest.”

To Awogu, the allegation that over 15 legitimate state basketball association chairmen and representatives have been arbitrarily removed and replaced with unqualified persons to secure votes for a particular candidate is a lazy approach to the issues.  He said: “I know that all the aspirants have pulled out their influence.

“As we are all aware, none of the state chairmen was elected; they were appointed by various state governments and in politics, you throw your influence to win votes.

“If anybody feels aggrieved, there’s an Appeals Committee that handles grievances. They are free to approach it to address their grievances.”

Veteran basketball commentator Pius Ayinor described the battle for the NBBF leadership as an ego trip, saying that the gladiators should find a way to resolve their differences without damaging the sport.

“The fight is more about ego, power and control, but truly many are also looking at how they can manipulate the system to enrich themselves.

“Did MKO Abiola lack anything before he died for nothing trying to be Nigeria’s president? It was about power.”