NBBF Tenure Debate: Back your claims with Constitutional provision —Zira tells Col. Ahmadu

By Jude Opara, Abuja

A basketball stakeholder, Mr. Emma Zira has challenged a member of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) board, Col. Sam Ahmadu (retd) to provide constitutional evidence to support his claims that the tenure of the NBBF President, Engr. Musa Kida has expired.

Zira in a statement on Tuesday said that Col. Ahmadu has continued to claim that the tenure of Kida began on January 31, 2022 being the very day the board election took place.

However, he has argued that the tenure only began from the day of inauguration and not the day of election.

“Col. Ahmadu has argued that the board’s tenure commenced immediately after the January 31, 2022 elective congress. If that is the case, he owes the basketball community a clause-by-clause citation of the NBBF Constitution that explicitly states that tenure begins on the day of election rather than upon swearing-in or formal assumption of office.

“The legal question is, does tenure start at election, or at inauguration by the relevant constituted authority? If there is no constitutional requirement for further inauguration, let Col. Ahmadu publish the exact article that supports his position. Constitutional matters cannot be settled by assertion; they must be settled by documentation”.

Zira further questioned what Col. Ahmadu would do differently, haven been involved in the administration of basketball for about 30 years.

“Col. Ahmadu has been involved in NBBF structures for over three decades and has served multiple consecutive terms at the zonal level spanning more than a decade. It is therefore reasonable to ask: what measurable structural transformation has been driven under his watch at zonal level? What developmental blueprint, sponsorship initiative, or institutional reform can be directly attributed to his leadership?

“Assuming without conceding that Engr. Ahmed Musa Kida’s tenure has ended, the Nigerian basketball community deserves clarity from Col. Ahmadu to tell the people what exactly he intends to do differently? What value will he introduce? What strategic shift will elevate Nigerian basketball beyond its current trajectory?

“Under Engr. Kida’s leadership, Nigerian basketball has maintained international visibility, competitive participation in FIBA tournaments, and continental dominance in women’s basketball. These are tangible outcomes that can be measured”.

He concluded by stating that leadership should not be reduced to the pursuit of position, but a demonstrable value on how to sustain the progress already achieved by Kida.