Three presidential candidates for Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) election don write President Bola Ahmed Tinubu say make e stop di 2026-2030 polls, dem dey accuse di outgoing federation president Engr. Ahmadu Musa Kida say e dey rig tins before Thursday vote for Abuja. Di petition, wey dem carry date 12 October 2026, na Igoche Mark (North Central), Olumide Oyedeji (South West) and Ejike Ugboaja (South East) sign am. Dem copy am go di Senate President, di Speaker of di House of Representatives, and di Secretary to di Government of di Federation.
Dem accuse Kida say e don compromise di process to favour im "anointed candidate", Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, wey be Director-General of di Energy Commission of Nigeria. According to di petitioners, dem just remove more dan fifteen State Basketball Association chairmen and representatives anyhow just two weeks before di Extraordinary and Elective Congresses come start, and dem replace dem with people wey no get qualification so dem go take secure vote for Abdullahi. Di states wey dem name na Zamfara, Kaduna, Gombe, Benue, Kwara, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Niger, Edo and Taraba.
Di candidates still challenge Abdullahi eligibility, dem argue say public service rules no allow full-time public servant, especially chief executive of federal agency, to dey do activities wey go distract am from im official work. Dem beg di President say make e direct di National Sports Commission to stop di process and investigate di breach wey dem allege before any election hold.
For one oda interview, Oyedeji, former D'Tigers captain, allege say dem dey try intimidate stakeholders before di poll. E question why dem change di delegate list and e doubt whether di election go fair: "We need free and fair election... Are we going to have fair election? I no know. I no think so, because maybe we just dey go dere to start wetin don already dey planned." Di election dey scheduled for Thursday, 15 October, for International Conference Centre, Abuja.
