FIBA, IOC Ban Looming Over NBBF’s Elections

Nigeria could face Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA) and International Olympics Committee (IOC) sanctions and the possible ban of D’Tigers from defending their African title at the 2017 Afro-basketball Championship in Congo-Brazzaville if the Ministry of Youth and Sports refused to allow Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) free hands in the conduct of its elections slated to hold at the end of this month.
Youth and Sports minister, Solomon Dalung, had severally assured that the Federal Government would not interfere in the sports federations’ elections process, saying government will not nominate any candidate for the elections.
However, the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) and the Ministry have been at loggerheads over who has the jurisdiction to conduct elections into the board of basketball federation.
NBBF president, Tijjani Umar, who spoke to newsman, said FIBA and IOC’s statutes are very clear about every federation should runs its affair and elections process.
He said the board of NBBF has done all that are expected of them in term of performance and good governance, and derive it power from the constitution in line with statutes of FIBA and IOC to runs it affair without any interference.
“The statute of Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA) is very clear about how every federation must run its process without interference. Every federation has its constitution from where you derive your power, and it points to you all the process to follow.
So, what NBBF has done ahead of other federations was to have its constitution in line with the statutes of FIBA and International Olympics Committee (IOC). In 2013 some people took basketball federation to Court after elections alleged that the Ministry of Sports was biased. The same characters are now going back, asking the Ministry to hold election.  IOC had made it clear through a letter they sent to Nigeria 2013 that every federation must hold its election; otherwise it will not stand or recognize the outcome of the election.
“The basketball federation has done what it needed to do in term of performance and good governance. We have refused to be distracted. We are absolutely focused to work for basketball and let the guys drama class continue their drama concerning the election.”