The Appeals Committee for the recently concluded Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) elective congress has formally dismissed the petitions challenging the outcome of the presidential vote, effectively clearing the way for Dr Mustapha Abdullahi to lead Nigerian basketball for the 2026–2030 tenure.
Chairman of the Appeal Committee, Barrister Okibe Emmanuel, announced that the petitions filed by Olumide Oyedeji (representing the South-West zone) and Mohammed Sani (representing the North-East zone) were examined in detail before being dismissed for lacking merit. The committee’s panel—comprising Chairman Okibe Emmanuel, Chichi Nwoko, and Emmanuel Zira—reviewed all submitted complaints following the high-stakes election held on October 15, 2026, at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja.
During the initial election at the ICC, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, who also serves as the Director General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, secured a decisive landslide victory. Abdullahi polled 40 votes to defeat former D’Tigers captain Olumide Oyedeji, who received 8 votes.
Following the loss, Oyedeji and Sani filed petitions seeking a review of the electoral process. However, after careful deliberations, the panel concluded that the election procedures were valid and that neither petitioner provided sufficient evidence to overturn the results.
“The petitions were carefully examined in accordance with the electoral guidelines before the committee arrived at its final decision,” stated Barrister Okibe Emmanuel during the reading of the ruling. With the Appeal Committee’s unanimous ruling, all legal and administrative challenges surrounding the NBBF leadership contest have now been resolved.
Dr Mustapha Abdullahi officially assumes the mantle as NBBF President for the next four years, during which he is expected to spearhead grassroots basketball development, strengthen domestic leagues, and position Nigeria’s national teams for international success through 2030.