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Nigerian youth groups have called for fresh ideas and leadership renewal in the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) ahead of its October 15 presidential election.
The groups, under the Students Sports Federation of Nigeria (SSFON) and the Amalgamation of Regional Youth Organizations of Nigeria (ARYON), made the call at a briefing in Abuja.
President-General of ARYON, Comrade Ibrahim A. Abdullahi, said the NBBF presidency should not be regarded as a permanent position, arguing that length of time in leadership should not be the sole consideration in choosing the federation’s next president.
He said younger aspirants with new ideas should not be dismissed on account of their age or background, adding that generational renewal could contribute to the development of basketball in the country.
According to him, Nigerian basketball requires effective administration, grassroots development, sustainable leagues, improved facilities, athlete welfare and greater private-sector investment.
The groups also disputed reports concerning an alleged Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrest involving one of the younger candidates in the election.
They said the candidate had only honoured an invitation from the EFCC, adding that he was not detained and had not been charged with any offence.
The groups said they had written to the EFCC regarding the matter and urged those involved in circulating what they described as misleading information to desist.
They also called on delegates to assess the candidates based on their manifestos, experience and verifiable contributions to basketball rather than their age or length of time in the sport.
The groups cited basketball infrastructure projects in Kano and Kogi as examples of contributions they said should be considered by delegates during the election.
They also referenced serving public officers who hold leadership positions in sports federations, including Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, who heads the Wrestling Federation, and Commodore Shettima Shagir, who leads the Shooting Sport Federation.
National President of SSFON, Comrade Anthony Danjuma W., said the coalition was not endorsing any particular candidate but was encouraging delegates to consider individuals who had contributed to the development of basketball.
He said the amended NBBF Constitution requiring candidates to have a verifiable source of livelihood should be respected.
The groups urged delegates to focus on the candidates’ capacity to develop the sport and implement sustainable reforms when making their choice.
