Basketball: NBBF denounces IMC

The attention of the NBBF has been drawn to the Press Statement emanating from the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, regarding the constitution of an Interim Management Committee, put in place to run Basketball in Nigeria instead of the legally elected Board of the NBBF, that was legitimately elected by it’s Congress, made up of the Certified  Delegates of the NBBF, at the January 31st Elective Congress, which held in Benin, Edo State, in a free, fair and transparent election with the firm approval of the Ministry.

The Nigeria Basketball Federation, therefore, denounces the Interim Management Committee set up by the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, as this action is not in line with the provisions of the NBBF approved statutes, which the Ministry vetted, accepted and a copy was domiciled with them.

The idea of an Interim Management committee is alien to the NBBF Statutes as approved by the same Ministry of Youths & Sports Development, the NOC, and FIBA, under which the affairs of the Federation are governed. It further violates FIBA Statutes and Regulations and is indeed a deliberate usurpation of power that has made  Nigeria a laughing stock amongst the comity of basketball-playing nations.

The IMC is not acceptable to NBBF because we reserve the right, as a properly elected body,  in line with the 2019 NBBF  Constitution, domiciled with FIBA, NOC, and the FMY&SD to implement the mandate entrusted to us by the Basketball stakeholders in Nigeria.

This move is counterproductive and an endless race within a circle that leads to nowhere.

It is a  blatant abuse of power and an archaic move to repress the Constitution of the NBBF, as ratified by congress, which is the highest decision-making organ of the Federation, as represented by all the States and relevant constituencies in Nigeria.

The NBBF has attended all means of patience and dialogue, but some persons within the Ministry are hell-bent on destroying what Nigerian Basketball has built since the creation and admission of the NBBF, as a member of FIBA.

It is not a move to save basketball, but a selfish agenda to cripple the sport for reasons best known to such persons.

We, as a body, call on the FMY&SD to reverse this retrogressive decision and respect their own FMYSD Press release of the 30th September 2021 clearly affirming and spelling out the position of the Nigerian Government on the NBBF Electoral process, and urge all aggrieved stakeholders to channel their grievances through the NBBF for resolution, as the adequate mechanism for conflict resolution is inbuilt in the 2019 approved NBBF constitution.

We assure all Nigerians that we are committed to carrying on the processes of developing the game of Basketball in Nigeria, and also assure that we will carry along all genuine stakeholders of the game that are willing to contribute their quota to the growth and development of the game of Basketball in Nigeria.

Below is the position of the Sports ministry on September 30, 2021 via a press release:

The Position of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development on the Nigeria Basketball Federation Electoral Process

With the benefit of correspondence and communication with the Federation of International Basketball Associations(FIBA) and an all inclusive basketball stakeholders’ meeting at the Moshood  Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Wednesday, September 29, 2021, as well as a careful review of the laws and regulations governing the relationships between Government, as represented by the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development(FMYSD), the National Federations and their international bodies, the Ministry is hereby properly guided and issues these positions:

1. The NBBF has a Constitution recognized by FIBA and this was confirmed again in a recent correspondence with the Nigeria Olympic Committee(NOC) from FIBA. The Ministry recognizes this and abides with it.

This Constitution will form the basis of the next elections and the resolution of any conflict that may emanate from it.

2. The Constitution can not be amended by non Congress members.

3. The FIBA approved Constitution clearly spells out the processes leading to an Elective Congress. This must  be clearly followed through as expected by FIBA.

4. The NOC and the  Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development can only supervise and not conduct the elections. The NOC and FMYSD will be observers. FIBA will also be invited as observers.

5. Going by the FIBA recognized Constitution, the following steps must be taken, leading to the elections:-

A. The NBBF President has the power to call for a Congress to draw up the electoral process.

B. Once the Congress is convened, the Electoral Committee is appointed and approved by the congress.

C. The Appeals Committee is also put in place with their appointment approved by the congress.

D. The date and venue of the elective congress is picked and approved by the congress.

E. FIBA , NOC and FMYSD are then officially communicated of  congress decisions, and are all officially invited to observe the elections.

F. On election day, the NBBF President and his board will officially hand over proceedings to the Electoral Committee who then conducts the elections and swears in the winners immediately so as not to create a vacuum.

These are the procedures outlined in the NBBF constitution. The Ministry will be properly guided along these procedures.

Interested parties and stakeholders can look at the areas of the constitution over which they have disagreements and document same while the recognized constitution remains operational.

This statement supercedes any other statement or position of the Ministry on the matter.

Dr. S. E. Ebhojiaye

Ag. DFEAD

Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development