Follow Us on Google
Concerns are mounting over the planned Nigeria Basketball Federation of Nigeria (NBBF) Congress, set to hold in Yola, Adamawa State, amid allegations that the official notice convening the meeting was backdated.
According Ahmed Umar, a concerned stakeholder, he noted that the letter announcing the Congress was drafted and dated September 4th, yet as of September 13th, stakeholders say they have not received any formal invitation. The NBBF Constitution stipulates that Congress notices must be issued at least 21 days in advance — a requirement that, if the allegations are accurate, would already have been breached.
However, our investigation revealed a letter dated September 10th addressed to State Basketball Association Chairmen has since surfaced, signed by NBBF Secretary General Amina Amache. The letter sets the Congress date as September 25th at 8:00 am but notably does not specify a clear venue within Adamawa State. Critics point out that even using this September 10th date, the notice falls short of the constitutionally mandated 21-day period ahead of a September 25th Congress — reinforcing stakeholders’ concerns that due process is not being followed.
Stakeholders from the South-East, South-South, and South-West regions have voiced fears that the delay is intended to limit their participation.
They point to Yola’s limited flight connections as a potential barrier to timely travel, particularly on short notice.
Adding to the unease are allegations that individuals aligned with the outgoing NBBF President could be positioned to represent states unable to send their own delegates – a move critics say would distort the democratic process and sideline legitimate stakeholders.
Observers say attention within the federation appears to have shifted away from the sport’s development and toward managing the succession process. Unverified reports suggest the outgoing administration favours a candidate said to have family ties to the sitting Nigerian President, raising further questions about transparency in the transition.
The NBBF has not publicly responded to these allegations.
