By Victor Enyinnaya on May 25, 2018

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has come hard on the Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA) accusing it of causing the prolonged crisis rocking the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF).

He made the allegation when he met with select journalists on Thursday in Lagos, where he spoke on the activities of his ministry.

It would be recalled that following FIBA’s fact finding mission to Nigeria early in the year, the world body ordered for a fresh election into the board of the NBBF, having declared the ones organised by both Tijjani Umar and Musa Kida-led factions illegal as it did not conform with the statutes of the world body.

According to Dalung it is unfortunate that the world basketball body is encouraging a group who did not purchase form for election into the board of NBBF held on June 13, 2017 to present its self for fresh election, describing it as absurd.

The minister stated that the Umar group had earlier taken the matter to the Court of Arbitration for sports (CAS) and lost, wondering why FIBA should call for a fresh election, insisting that as far as the ministry is concerned election into the board of the. NBBF has been held and the Kida group remains the authentic group recognised by the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“It’s unfortunate that FIBA is contributing to the problem of Nigerian basketball by calling for fresh election when election was held and supervised by the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) as directed by the world body.

“As far as I’m concerned the issue of election into the board of the NBBF is a foregone conclusion. But if FIBA insists on another election, only them know where they will organise such election,” stated the minister.

He announced that very soon the names of all federation presidents and their board members will be sent to security agencies to enable them check on impersonators, even as he declared that a letter will also be sent to Kwese on the implication of sponsoring a league not sanctioned by government.

Dalung lamented that many months after directives to the various federations to submit their constitutions to the ministry, only few of them have complied, describing it as a deliberate attempt by some board members to perpetuate themselves in office but warned that appropriate sanctions will be taken against erring federations.

On the forthcoming National Sports Festival (NSF) slated for December this year, the minister announced that some Sub-committees have been set up for the organisation of the festival and the ministry is also liaising with Federal Capital Terriority (FCT) towards a successful hosting of the festival

The minister assured that efforts are being made to improve our coaches and technical officials to enable them officiate at the international level just as he revealed that the problem bewildering the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) will soon be sorted out.

•Sports Minister Solomon Dalung

Source Daily Sports

Posted May 25, 2018

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