Former D'Tigers coach Ayodele Bakare has pushed back against appeals for calm following the 2026 Nigeria Basketball Federation board elections, arguing that justice and fair play should not be traded for the sake of peace. The Comets Basketball Club president released a statement titled "You Shouldn't Stop Rape Victims From Seeking Justice, Should You?" in which he challenged those urging stakeholders to drop their grievances.
"Not everybody wants peace at the cost of justice and fair play," Bakare said, urging advocates of reconciliation to allow aggrieved parties to pursue their complaints through appropriate channels.
Bakare backed his position with a Chinese proverb: "Those who say it can't be done, should not disturb those who are trying to do it!"
The elections produced Dr Mustapha Abdullahi as NBBF president after he secured 40 votes once the other candidates pulled out of the race. The process has since been overshadowed by disputes over its conduct and compliance with the federation's constitution, with stakeholders raising concerns about the polls.
Closing his intervention with "The Oracle has spoken," Bakare framed the dispute as a question for Nigerian basketball: whether genuine unity can be reached without first addressing the grievances of those who believe the election requires scrutiny.
