Basketball players under the umbrella of Concerned Progressive Ballers CPB, have vowed to hit the streets of Abuja this week following the clandestine moves by Sports Minister, Mr Sunday Dare to force Engr Musa Kida on them as the NBBF President.
Arising from a meeting held in Abuja on Friday, the players say plans by the Sports Minister to force a rejected candidate on them was unfair and immoral.They cited past experiences witnessed under Engr Kida which they say had put the country in bad light.
Spokesman for the group, A.U Abdul says the group has rejected Engr Kida.
“It is unfair and immoral for the Sports Minister to force an unpopular candidate on us as NBBF President. This is one man who has put Nigeria in bad light. During his reign, he brought shame and disgrace on Nigeria. He killed our leagues and also failed to pay players. Engr Kida always claim to be using his personal money to develop basketball and “we say it is not by force. We don’t want you and your money. Both foreign and domestic players have vowed to revolt against him if the Sports Minister is forces him on us,” Abdul stated.
They advised the Sports Minister to be more concerned about re-engineering sports which is under his watch as the sector has nosedived, citing failure of the national football team, The Super Eagles to pick the FIFA World Cup ticket as a good example. Moreso that the rumoured nexus between himself and Engr Kida is the AFA Sports deal which is being investigated by anti graft agencies.They stressed that the Minister should remember that posterity remains the best judge and not his villa contact.
“We had thought that the appointment of Mr Sunday Dare was a blessing to the sports sector but unfortunately, the so-called blessing has been like a curse by his crave for financial gains and publicity stunts that have now destroyed the very backbone of our sports. It is on record that he presided over the worse and most shameful Olympic outing. Sports under the present Minister is nothing to write home about and Nigeria’s failure to pick the FIFA World Cup ticket is a testament to the fact that Sports have nosedived under his watch.The rumoured AFA deal has been the connecting rod between the minister and Engr Kida, as we are aware that the case is being investigated by the anti graft agencies.The Minister should be made to know that posterity remains the best judge and not his contact at the villa shielding his administrative malfeasance,” the players said.
The Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF has engulfed in leadership crisis following the maladministration that marred the immediate past board of the federation headed by Engr Musa Kida.
