In a firm and definitive address to basketball stakeholders, the President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Engr. Ahmadu Musa Kida, has officially laid to rest rumors of a third-term ambition or tenure elongation.
Speaking on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the NBBF Extraordinary Congress held in Yola, Adamawa State, Kida assured the basketball community that his tenure is drawing to a natural close and that his final administrative priority is to deliver a free, fair, and transparent electoral transition for the 2026–2030 board. “Eight Years is Enough” Addressing the 39 delegates in attendance, the NBBF President tackled head-on the allegations of a constitutional subversion designed to keep him in power. He maintained that his two terms in office have been highly productive and that it is time for a new generation of leaders to take the reins.
“I was first falsely accused, through direct and sponsored publications, that I was planning to go for a third term, which directly breaches the provisions of the NBBF constitution… I will never be part of this insensitivity,” Kida declared. “I have served eight turbulent years with huge successes recorded. What else do I need to do more in the NBBF? I believe that eight years is sufficient and hugely significant as a tenure.”
He described accusations of tenure elongation as “funny and laughable,” adding that he had never even mooted the idea to anyone. “It is time to allow the younger generations to take over, contribute their quota, and move basketball forward from where we have stopped,” he added.
Surviving Administrative Turbulence Kida also used the platform to apologize for the Federation’s inability to hold its Annual General Meetings in recent years, attributing the delay to “distractive interferences” that the board had to battle since its re-election on January 31, 2022.
He recalled the unprecedented 10-month period where the Federal Government refused to recognize the democratically elected board, describing it as a massive drawback to the steady growth the sport had enjoyed since 2017. Furthermore, he addressed the internal rebellion by some board members who petitioned the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) using “fictitious signatures” to orchestrate a takeover.
According to Kida, the NBBF’s fierce pushback against these interferences was never about personal gain, but about institutional integrity.
Protecting the Constitution : “All the actions we took and the fight back against Government interference was to protect the sanctity of the 2019 NBBF approved constitution… to enshrine lasting peace and stability.”
FIBA’s Backing :He noted that by keeping FIBA thoroughly and transparently informed with backed-up facts and video evidence, the international body was able to issue clear, effective directives in their correspondence dated March 16, 2026, which ultimately paved the way for the Yola Congress.
The Road to the 2026 Elections. Looking ahead, Kida formally opened the floor for interested candidates to vie for positions on the incoming 2026–2030 board. However, he issued a stern warning regarding campaign ethics.
“As you campaign for different positions on the coming board, I urge you all to do your politicking with dignity and honor. Derogatory comments and defamatory statements will not be tolerated, as such cowardly acts will be sanctioned,” he warned.
Before concluding, Kida expressed profound gratitude to the Government and people of Adamawa State for their exceptional hospitality and logistical support at such short notice. He also lauded the NSC for its consistent backing and FIBA for its steady hands in guiding Nigerian basketball to maturity.
As the Congress pivots to finalizing the electoral roadmap, Kida promised stakeholders that he would leave no stone unturned in providing a full, comprehensive account of his stewardship from 2017 to 2026 at the upcoming elective congress, where he will officially hand over the reins of the Federation.
