NBBF elections to hold in Benin October 30

Glover heads electoral committee

At last, the crisis-ridden Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has set October 30 as date for its elective congress in the ancient City of Benin, Edo State.

NBBF Caretaker Committee Chairman, Musa Kida, announced the date and venue of the elective congress over the weekend after a tensed extraordinary congress at the Hotel de Bentley, Abuja.

Over 250 security personnel were at the congress to ensure security of delegates at the event. The officers included men of the Nigeria Army, Department of State Security, mobile and regular police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and some other security agencies, not immediately identified.

“The congress of the Nigeria Basketball Federation has approved Saturday, October 30, for elections into the executive board of the federation.

“At its extraordinary congress held on Saturday, October 9 in Abuja, the congress ratified Benin as the host city and also adopting the proposed electoral committee to be chaired by Dr. Lanre Glover.

“Glover will be deputised by Alhaji Mohammed Sani Fema, with Dr. Femi Olugbile, Hauwa Kulu-Akinyemi, as members, while Emmanuel Okibe will act as secretary of the committee,” Kida said during a media parley soon after the extraordinary congress.

Kida was, however, elated that stakeholders from all the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory and basketball chairmen and secretaries were in attendance at the extraordinary congress.

He stated that the congress have approved the appointment of Mrs. Ize Matebese, as chairman of the 2021 NBBF Electoral Appeals Committee, with General David Lubo (rtd.) as member and Emmanuel Zira as the secretary.

According to Kida, all stakeholders at the congress were requested to submit observations for addition or amendment to the constitution for process according to Article 38 of NBBF approved Constitution.

“This was unanimously agreed as part of the ongoing process to amend the constitution, which was described as a continuous exercise as enshrined in the constitution,” he said.

In attendance at the congress was Minister of Sports, Chief Sunday Dare, who was represented by Permanent Secretary, Ismaila Abubakar.

The president-elect of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, Ishaku Tikon, was physically seen, but he represented the Nigeria Olympic Committee President, Habu Gumel. 

Dr. Simon Ebhojiaye, Acting Director Federation Elite Athletes Department, FEAD was also on ground alongside Professor Florence Adeyanju, member, Caretaker Committee, NBBF.