Members of the Electoral Committee of the NBBF say they were surprised by the unsigned letter purportedly issued by the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Sports which has lately been circulating in the media.
The committee takes cognizance of an earlier Press Statement by the same Ministry which was issued less than one month ago.
The committee said the 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.
It therefore clarifies that 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.
The constitution cannot be amended by non Congress members.
The FIBA approved Constitution clearly spells out the processes leading to an Elective Congress. This must be clearly followed through as expected by FIBA.
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.
Going by the FIBA recognized Constitution, the following steps must be taken, leading to the elections:-
The NBBF President has the power to call for a Congress to draw up the electoral process.
Once the Congress is convened, the Electoral Committee is appointed and approved by the congress.
The Appeals Committee is also put in place with their appointment approved by the congress.
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The date and venue of the elective congress is picked and approved by the congress.
FIBA , NOC and FMYSD are then officially communicated of congress decisions, and are all officially invited to observe the elections.
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.
The committee says the information supercedes any other statement or position of the Ministry on the matter.
The Electoral Committee further reveals that it is unaware of anything that has changed since that time that may justify a volte-face on the holding of elections.
The Electoral Committee was set up by a duly constituted Congress of the NBBF and is responsible to that Congress, whose authority is supreme.
In light of the above, the Electoral Committee at its meeting held on the 26/10/21 has decided that they will Conduct the NBBF Election on the 30th of October 2021 as Stipulated by NBBF Congress.
Because of the Confusion Created by the announcement, they have Extended the Submission date for nomination to 12 Noon On 29th October 2021
(Editor: Ena Agbanoma.)
