Basketball Elections: Igoche Mark Alleges Stakeholder Disenfranchisement, Inducement, Imposition

Basketball Elections: Igoche Mark Alleges Stakeholder Disenfranchisement, Inducement, Imposition
By Our Reporter
ABUJA (Core Reporters) — Leading basketball stakeholder and founder of the Mark D’ Ball Basketball Championship, Igoche Mark, has accused unnamed interests of manipulating the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) electoral process through the alleged disenfranchisement of legitimate stakeholders and replacement with individuals he claims lack involvement in the sport.
Mark, who raised the concerns in Abuja while speaking on the state of basketball administration in Nigeria, alleged that genuine stakeholders across several states were being removed from the electoral process ahead of the federation’s elections.
He called on the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) to intervene and ensure a transparent, credible and inclusive electoral process.
“If we want to do election, let’s do election, and if we don’t want to do election, let’s go for selection,” Mark said, expressing concern over what he described as irregularities in the process.
According to him, several basketball stakeholders had been removed from the electoral process without adequate justification or compliance with established procedures.
“I can tell you for a fact that a lot of Nigeria basketball stakeholders are disenfranchised, because they are just being removed overnight for no reason or just cause without following the due process because the election is around the corner.
“They are disenfranchised, and they are not happy about the situation,” he said.
Mark further alleged that the practice was occurring across several states, claiming that individuals perceived as unlikely to support certain candidates were being replaced rather than engaged through legitimate campaigns.
“This is happening all around the states. People they feel cannot vote for them, rather than appeal to them by giving reasons why they should vote for you as the right person for the job, instead, they chose the shortcut of changing them with people who are not into sports or know nothing about the sport, basketball, just because you want them to vote for you,” he alleged.
The basketball stakeholder also raised concerns about alleged political interference, claiming that a senior government official had sought his removal and that of Col. Sam Ahmedu from stakeholder representation in the electoral process.
“A call came from my Deputy Governor to the Director of Sports asking for my name and that of Col. Sam Ahmedu to be changed, just because a certain top government official requested for that to happen, and in turn electrify three villages in my state,” Mark alleged.
The claim raises questions about the alleged influence of political interests and public-sector commitments on stakeholder representation ahead of the federation’s elections.
Mark urged the NSC and NOC to investigate the complaints and ensure that all qualified stakeholders were treated fairly, stressing that the credibility of the electoral process was crucial to the development of basketball in Nigeria.
He warned that the alleged exclusion of legitimate stakeholders and manipulation of representation could deepen divisions within the basketball community and undermine efforts to strengthen the sport’s administration.
The NBBF electoral process has drawn scrutiny from stakeholders concerned about representation, transparency and the future leadership of basketball in the country.
Mark maintained that the elections must be conducted in accordance with established rules and due process, with all eligible stakeholders allowed to participate freely without intimidation, political interference or arbitrary changes to their representation.