Just as tongues keeping wagging over the none payment of the backlog of allowance arrears owed to the female Basketball national team, D’Tigress’ by the Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF), the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare has said that the NBBF President, Engr. Musa Kida is in the position to confirm if he has received the money or not.
It was alleged that the Federal Government through the Minister released N2bn to the NBBF President, Kida to settle the team after been owed for over four years.
Recalled that D’Tigress took to social media recently and asked the minister to confirm if he has released the N2bn to the NBBF because according to them, Kida has denied receiving any money from the FG.
The Special Adviser on Media to the Minister, John Joshua-Akonji claimed he was marvelled that people could still believe that the ministry can keep money belonging to a federation even in the face of the Olympics’ preparation.
However, Joshua-Akanji stated that the debts owed to the D’Tigress have lingered for so long, stressing that despite been there three or four years before Dare became the minister, it was Dare that worked hard to ensure that the money was released to the federation.
Meanwhile, he dismissed allegations that Kida allegedly gave the Minister N250m as appreciation from the N2bn.
When asked if it was true the minister received N250m from Kida as appreciation for bringing the N2bn to them, he said, “And they were there when he gave him, they should have added video so that it will go viral
“Why don’t you call the President of the Basketball Federation to confirm it, can they receive the money and somebody will keep the money? Let’s be logical now if they release the money for a federation, can somebody keep that money, is it possible, is it commonsensical? Let us look at it rationally.
“I will appreciate it if you talk to the NBBF President, there is no way they will release one kobo and the money will be held, it is not possible when they are preparing for the Olympics. Let’s look at it logically, we are journalists also. When somebody makes an allegation, we can also confirm it independently. If FG releases money to the federation for camping is it supposed that the minister will keep the money, how would there be camping in the US?
“This issue of debts to the D’Tigress has lingered so long, the money was there like five or four years before he became the minister, yet he was the one that was able to get the money for them, please I will appreciate it if you can get Kida and talk to him too So that he can also tell you the money he received.
Meanwhile, all efforts to get Kida to respond to the allegation proved abortive as he neither pick our calls nor replied to messages sent to him via WhatsApp
