Former Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) presidential aspirant Igoche Mark has defended his decision to withdraw from the federation’s presidential election, insisting that his withdrawal was a matter of principle rather than an abandonment of his commitment to Nigerian basketball.
Mark, proprietor of Mark Mentors Basketball Club, expressed concern over the credibility of the electoral process that produced Dr Mustapha Abdullahi as the new NBBF president, warning that unresolved governance issues could continue to undermine the sport’s development.
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“My decision to withdraw is therefore not an abandonment of my commitment to Nigerian basketball,” Mark stated.
“It is a statement of principle and a reflection of my conviction that leadership must emerge from a process that commands the confidence, trust and acceptance of the people it is meant to serve.”
The former aspirant argued that Nigerian basketball risks remaining trapped in recurring administrative disputes unless fundamental concerns about electoral fairness and stakeholder participation are addressed.
“Sadly, I remain concerned that the challenges confronting Nigerian basketball will continue to persist if we fail to address these fundamental issues of fairness, credibility, trust and meaningful stakeholder participation in the process of choosing our leaders,” he said.
Mark maintained that the legitimacy of the federation’s leadership should depend on the confidence of basketball stakeholders in the process through which officials emerge.
He also questioned whether the election provided contestants and stakeholders with a genuinely fair opportunity to influence its outcome.
“We should be honest enough to admit that we want a selection,” he declared.
“We cannot call this process an election while denying contestants and stakeholders a fair opportunity to determine its outcome.”
His remarks add to the controversy surrounding Thursday’s NBBF presidential election, following similar objections raised by former D’Tigers player Ejike Ugboaja.
However, newly elected president Abdullahi has rejected allegations of irregularities, maintaining that the election was free and fair.
For Mark, withdrawing from the contest does not signal an end to his involvement in Nigerian basketball, but reflects his insistence that credible leadership must emerge through a process trusted by the sport’s stakeholders.
