Factional Nigeria Basketball Federation president, Mark Igoche, has queried world body FIBA’s decision to back the Musa Ahmadu-Kida-led board of the NBBF.
Two parallel polls held January 30 in Abuja and Benin City produced two boards headed by Igoche and incumbent Musa Ahmadu-Kida respectively, which extended the leadership crisis that bedeviled the federation in the last five years.
However, in a letter addressed to Ahmadu-Kida and dated March 7, 2022 and signed by FIBA Secretary-General Andreas Zagklis, the body congratulated Ahmadu-Kida and members of his board, stating that it looked forward to working with them for the next four years.
The letter read, “FIBA acknowledges receipt of the results of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) Elective Congress held in Benin City on 31 January 2022. Accordingly, FIBA takes note of the election of the following persons to the NBBF Board for the following four (4) years.
“FIBA takes the opportunity to request your confirmation as to the remaining members of the NBBF Board as per article 21.2 (d) to (I) of the NBBF Constitution.
“FIBA congratulates all the elected members and looks forward to close collaboration in furtherance of the development of basketball in Nigeria.”
But Igoche queried the authenticity of the letter.
“I recall when NFF had a crisis we saw letters from FIFA printed in Ojuelegba in Lagos. We don’t know if that is what is going on at the moment in our basketball. Desperation can lead to anything. I see a hand of desperation in this,” Igoche told The PUNCH.
“First and foremost, I don’t know who is presiding over things in Nigeria. Is it FIBA or the sports minister, who is the custodian of all sports in Nigeria?
“If you recall, the minister came out a few days ago to say that they are looking into the crisis in the basketball federation, that there were two elections and we will be hearing from them soon. And the next minute we are seeing a letter claiming to be coming from FIBA.
“At this point we need to start asking questions. We wonder why FIBA will write to an individual when we have a federation.
“The minister is the custodian of sports in the country and he represents the President in sports. So, will FIBA go contrary to Nigeria? How insulting will that be to Nigeria?”
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