More information has emerged on why two highly esteemed ex-internationals, Olumide Oyedeji and Ejike Ugboaja were both disqualified from contesting as zonal representatives in the ongoing electoral process of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), but cleared to contest for the post of president.
Sports247 reports that, while many observers wonder why the same duo could be cleared to contest in the race to become the NBBF’s next president but not as a zonal representative, officials in the election’s screening committee said it is due to specifics outlined in the statutes.
The official explanation now going round the NBBF’s electoral scene is that representatives need the nod of state association chairmen in each zone, while the seat for president of the federation has no strict regulations for anyone aspiring to that exalted office.
The verdict then is that, with Oyedeji and Ugboaja not at present the chairman of any state basketball association and not backed with votes of any official in the same position, they cannot contest for the post of zonal representative, though their statuses as ex-internationals qualify them to aspire for the NBBF president’s seat.
A statement from the Glover-led NBBF election screening committee expatiated ahead of the October 15th poll: “Under Article 21.2(c) of the 2019 NBBF Statutes, zonal representatives are elected by State Associations within their respective geopolitical zones, while Article 13.1(c) links Board nominations to a member’s zone or affiliation.
“Article 21.8 provides for the re-election of serving board members, while Article 23.4 requires candidates for the vice-presidential position to obtain endorsements from two member State Associations.”
Sports247 gathered further that the clearance of Oyedeji and Ugboaja for the presidency, despite their disqualification from zonal representative positions, has also come under scrutiny from Article 21.3.11, which provides an exemption for a serving president or vice-president to contest without belonging to one of the constituencies listed under Article 21.2.
However, while both ex-internationals fit into the catchment for former players, that post has already been won by Professor Lucky Abubakar Aliyu, who will now represent all active and past competitors on the NBBF’s new board.
