The elections into the board of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF, have been suspended until the issues surrounding the constitution of the federation are resolved.
This decision was reached at the basketball stakeholders meeting presided over by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and the Nigeria Olympics Committee on Wednesday night in Abuja.
The meeting was called to deliberate on the contending issues concerning the crisis rocking the federation which involves the camps of former factional presidents of the NBBF, Tijani Umar and Musa Kida.
At the meeting, it was agreed that the parties should sort out the issues concerning the conduct of elections into the NBBF board within the next 21 days.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, a former president of FIBA Africa (Zone 3), Muktar Kahleh, said: “The contending issue is the Constitution, some parties are not in agreement with the constitution and some are.
“But because of that, now the resolution is that both parties should go and look at the Constitution, whatever area they do not agree with, they should write and submit to the ministry and NOC.
“And 21 days notice has been given. Within that period, the ministry and NOC will look at contending issues and we will call back for how to resolve the issues.
Also, the Extra-Ordinary Congress as well as Zonal, players and technical representatives elections are put on hold pending resolution of the contending issues.
“The Congress is not taking place anymore, no election for NBBF at the moment until when the issues have been resolved,” he added.
‘Basketball bigger than anyone’
Also, while speaking to journalists after the meeting, Kida said the game of basketball in Nigeria is bigger than any individual, stressing that the survival of basketball supersedes any personal interest.
Kida said: “Everyone was told to lodge whatever they believed is their complaint, and there will be 21 days of consultations and they will allow the NBBF congress to come and deliberate on those clauses, after which the NBBF elections will then be organised.
“This is a very sane way of taking a lot of people along in the development of the game in the country”.
Meanwhile, a sports administrator, Emmanuel Zira, has called on all stakeholders to resolve their differences in order to avoid FIBA’s ban.
“Tijani Umar and Musa Kida should all avoid FIBA ban,” he said.
