Several Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) board members have rejected claims that they resigned, alleging instead that the federation’s leadership is seeking to extend its control with fewer than seven weeks remaining before the board’s term ends.
Quick facts
- The board’s tenure is scheduled to end on 16 October 2026.
- Adamu Deshi represents the North Central zone on the NBBF Board.
- Seven of eight excluded board members submitted a complaint to the National Sports Commission.
- The dispute includes allegations involving missed Congress meetings, financial accountability and the removal of elected officials.
Speaking in Abuja, North Central representative Adamu Deshi said no board member had stepped down. He maintained that FIBA had extended the mandate of every serving member until 16 October 2026.
Deshi accused NBBF president Engineer Musa Kida of promoting the resignation claims to avoid scrutiny from the full board and the NBBF Congress. He said the reports did not reflect the position of the members involved.
He alleged that Kida had recently met five board members regarded as supporters while leaving out eight others who had questioned the federation’s management. Deshi further claimed that the NBBF had gone roughly four years without calling a Congress and had failed to provide sufficient financial accountability.
He also criticised what he described as the unilateral suspension or removal of elected officials, naming Technical Representative Scott Nnaji and Players’ Representative Stanley Gumut among those affected.
Deshi referred to Article 21.11(1)(a–e) of the NBBF Constitution, arguing that any resignation must be made in writing. He said provisions allowing removal, including those linked to a criminal conviction, require approval from Congress and cannot be imposed solely by the federation president.
In effect, Deshi argued, Kida could not act as the NBBF Congress or exercise its powers alone. He also denied that the sidelined officials had failed to attend three successive board meetings, saying they had not received formal invitations to those sessions.
The conflict has now reached the National Sports Commission (NSC). Deshi said seven of the eight excluded members lodged an official complaint after an August 13 meeting involving Kida and the five board members aligned with him.
The NSC has not yet responded to the complaint. It has also offered no position on the federation’s election schedule or the allegations of financial mismanagement.
As the board’s mandate remains in force until 16 October, uncertainty is growing over the lack of a defined electoral plan with the deadline approaching.
