Engineer Ahmed Musa Kida
By Gabriel Kekong, Abuja
As crisis in the Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF) rage on, former basketball players led by the newly elected players’ representative at the NBBF, Stanly Gumut have condemned the insult meted on their members during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Abuja on Saturday.
The newly elected players’ reps in an interview with newsmen shortly after the congress said he was disappointed that Engineer Ahmed Musa Kida could descend so low to referring to basketball players who elected him to represent them on the NBBF as “Thugs”.
Gamut stated that, since Kida could refer to basketball players as ‘Thugs’ he is not worthy to hold any position at the NBBF, adding that the reason of NBBF is the players, therefore, called on basketball stakeholders in the country especially, the players to mark Kida and ready to throw him out at the upcoming NBBF election.
In the same vein, a former D’Tigers and NBA star Ejike Ugboaja who was furious with the statement Kida made against the players when he addressed them as ‘thugs’ said, Kida was a bad leader and as such does not deserve to lead the NBBF again.
Ejike said, despite the insult and manipulation by Kida, the right thing is what they players are after.
According to Ugboaja, “For Musa to call basketball players who have represented the country and won laurels for the country in several tournaments as thugs, himself must be a thug.” He said, “the players’ reps and technical election held last Saturday where I was an observer and conducted by the electoral committee set up by Kida himself, why on earth would Kida call players ‘thugs?” he queried.
“It is because of the players he is there, so why should Kida insult us in the presence of everybody at the congress?
“The players will not take it. We need another leader who will respect us as players and who will know that is the reason he is there,” Ejike said.
In his defence however, Kida while fielding questions from journalists confirmed that he actually said they were thugs at the Stadium last Saturday during the players’ reps and technical election. Also,
He said there were cases of violence during the said election.
“I didn’t say players were thugs, but I did say, there was violence at the venue of the said election.
“I did say they were thugs at the election venue last Saturday,” Kida said.
On why he did not recognise players to speak at the congress, Kida said, “the constitution is clear on who to speak at the congress and that was exactly what happened at the congress.”
Core Reporters report that, the newly elected players reps, Gumut was given an observer status at the congress and as such could not speak at the congress. Now what did the constitution say about players reps, does he not have a say at the NBBF congress, being a board member? So why did Kida not allow Gumut to speak at the congress? These are questions begging for answers.
Meanwhile, the elective congress of the NBBF has been slated for October 30, 2021 in Benin Edo State capital.
