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The leadership of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) and members of its own board are at loggerheads over claims of tenure elongation, as a fresh crisis breaks out just weeks before the board’s mandate is due to expire.
Board member Adamu Deshi has accused the federation’s leadership of attempting to prolong its stay in office beyond its constitutional timeline, an allegation the NBBF has firmly denied.
The disagreement has split the federation into opposing camps — with Deshi accusing NBBF President Musa Kida of stalling the transition process, and the NBBF insisting it has no such plan.
Speaking in Abuja, North Central Representative on the NBBF Board, Adamu Deshi, alleged that the federation’s leadership was working to extend its tenure beyond the timeline set by FIBA, the sport’s world governing body.
Deshi dismissed reports that some board members had resigned, insisting no resignations had taken place, and claimed the narrative was being pushed to shield Kida’s administration from accountability ahead of a planned congress.
He accused Kida of holding meetings with five loyal board members while sidelining eight others who have raised concerns about the federation’s governance — including alleged failure to convene a congress in about four years, weak financial accountability, and the unilateral removal of elected officials such as Technical Representative Scott Nnaji and Players’ Representative Stanley Gumut.
Citing Article 21.11 (1)(a-e) of the NBBF Constitution, Deshi argued that only Congress — not the president alone — has the power to remove board members, and that resignation must be submitted formally in writing.
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“Musa Kida is not the Congress of the NBBF,” Deshi said, rejecting claims that the excluded members had missed three consecutive meetings, since he said they were never formally invited.
Seven of the eight sidelined members have since lodged a complaint with the National Sports Commission (NSC), following an August 13 meeting between Kida and five board members. The NSC has yet to respond publicly.
In response, the NBBF issued a strongly worded statement rejecting Deshi’s claims outright, insisting there is “absolutely no attempt or hidden agenda” by the current leadership to unlawfully prolong its tenure.
The federation said it remains committed to strict adherence to its constitution and to FIBA’s regulations, stressing that any directive on the transition process would be implemented “through the appropriate institutional channels.”
It described suggestions that the leadership was defying legitimate directives or seeking to stay in office beyond its legal mandate as “entirely inaccurate,” while calling for restraint and unity among stakeholders.
With the board’s tenure reportedly running until October 16, 2026, the standoff leaves Nigerian basketball without a clear electoral timetable just weeks from the deadline. Neither the NSC nor FIBA has publicly weighed in on the dispute, leaving the question of who controls the NBBF’s transition process — and whether the current board’s stay will be extended.
