I do not want to be monotonous on certain aspects of my earlier write up on the Guidelines For Elections Into The Boards Of National Sports Federations but for the fact that an Argument must be supported by Facts to stand the test of time.
Section 5.0 of the said Guidelines deals with Conduct Of Elections and item viii provides thus -
All National Elections shall hold simultaneously in Abuja.
And in furtherance to that the Ministry in a separate Circular with the heading - 2017 National Sports Federations Elections Distribution of Venues,allocated/distributed 31 Gates/Entrances into the Abuja National Stadium to the 31 Sports Federations to conduct their Elections.
The Federation in question (NBBF) was allocated Gate/Entrance 25B.
I was opportune to be there as an Electoral Officer in charge of one of the 31 NSF.
And from 10:00 hrs in the morning of that Tuesday June 13,2017 till I left the Stadium there was NO Election at gate/entrance 25b.
So how come do we have a Basketball Federation when there was NO Election at the APPROVED VENUE.
Let us digress a bit before we come back to the above drama.
Assuming INEC has announced a venue for a Presidential Election to hold at 10:00 hrs.Can the contestants do as they wish and go to their own venues and conduct their own Elections at 2pm and 02:00 am respectively.
If this happens what do you think INEC will do ?
Your answer is as good as your thinking.
Back to our Basketball.
The INEC scenario is exactly what played itself out in Basketball.
Musa Kida and some basketball stakeholders went to a hotel in Abuja on Monday 12 June,2017 at 02:00 am and conducted an election into the board of NBBF.
Tijjani Umar went to Kano with some stakeholders and conducted an election into the board of NBBF on Monday 12 June,2017 at 12 pm.
And without recourse to Fairness,Justice and Rule of Law the Hon minister of Sports Barrister Solomon Dalung announced Amazingly to Nigerians and the World at large that he has recognized and accepted the Elections Done in a hotel suite at 02:00 am on the 12th June.And by the authority conferred on him he declared the Kano election as a meeting of friends to break their Fast.As if Muslims break their fast at Noon.Very sad.
The Tijjani Umar group have since Rejected the Ministers Declaration and went ahead to inform the world body FIBA of the situation in Nigeria and the Ministers position.
FIBA on its part and Looking at ways to save its 2 Major Competions from collapsing with the absence of Nigeria's Male and Female Teams (current holders of the Trophies at that time) to the African Nations Cup Finals decided to buy time and gave Nigeria up to October 2017 to resolve it's Crisis while accepting to deal with Kida Board for obvious reasons till then or face sanction.The Afro BB Champions for both male and Female are now over with Nigeria retaining the women's 1st position and coming 2nd at the men's finals.Thanks to Hon S Dalungs Reforms.
Now that three very important Basketball Competitions have been conclude with Kida Board in charge of 2 (Afro BB Finals) and Tijjani Umar in charge of one (BB premier league -Kwese) and with October around the corner,what happens next.
I still want to appeal for the second time to the Hon Minister of Sports for an early settlement of this crisis.
Sir,you came up with an Election Guideline containing dos and donts .Although I am not a lawyer but ordinarily I know the issue of Venue is Fundamental to any election And blatant refusal to comply with Election Guidelines especially as it relates to Venue cannot be overlooked under any circumstance.Two Wrongs doesn't make a Right.
FIBA have gotten what they want and the next thing is for them to take up the NBBF Crisis head on just like FIFA does when it's constituted affiliate is infected by Governmnt interference.You have had a taste of how FIFA deals with such interference.
Your declaration as regards acceptance and rejection was uncalled for and that is why the country is facing this threat from FIBA. Must you wait until the deed is done or has somebody told you that FIBA can do no nothing.
Declare the Elections Into both the Musa Kida and Tijjani Umar Boards as Null and Void.
Order a new Election and Keep a Distance from its Conduct,so that well meaning and discerning Nigerians will not accuse you of INFLUENCING the out come of the Elections Again.
October 2017 is Not too far Hon Minister.
God with us.
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