Former Plateau Peaks Player, Hassan Says 2026 NBBF Poll Is A Defining Moment For Basketball 

Ahead of the 2026 Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF, election, former Plateau Peaks player, Mr. Etudaiye Suleiman Hassan, has called for fresh leadership, saying the sport needs transformation, not the recycling of old political structures.

In a statement, Hassan described the forthcoming election as “more than a contest for an office,” but a defining moment for a sport that has produced remarkable talent yet been weighed down by administrative turbulence.

Hassan said Nigerian basketball has for years been distracted by factional battles, leadership disputes, protests, court proceedings and allegations of interference.

“Too much energy has been spent fighting over who controls the federation, and too little on building the institution,” he stated.

He challenged the argument that only those deeply embedded in the federation’s traditional structures have the capacity to lead.

“Experience matters. But experience without transformation is simply longevity. Experience without a track record of progress is retrogression. The question is no longer who has spent the longest time inside the system. It is who can take the system somewhere better,” Hassan said.

According to him, some candidates are being tagged as “outsiders” because they are new to the federation’s internal politics.

He however, argued that Nigerian basketball is bigger than boardroom politics.

“Being new to a federation structure does not mean being inexperienced in leadership, management, business, institution-building or stakeholder engagement,” he said.

“Modern sports administration demands the capacity to attract investment, build partnerships, strengthen competitions, deploy modern management systems and inspire confidence.”

Hassan noted that the repeated factional disputes and litigation in the federation raise questions about whether recycling the same political architecture can produce a different result.

“Sometimes, fresh leadership is the opportunity to free experience from the politics that has constrained it,” he added.

The former player also urged stakeholders to rise above what he called the “dangerous politics of accusation.”

“A media report is not a conviction. An allegation is not a finding. An investigation is not proof of guilt. Where a competent court has delivered a final judgment, let the judgment speak,” he said.

“But where none of these exists, repetition cannot manufacture a verdict.”

Hassan said the greatest challenge facing the NBBF is the culture of perpetual confrontation.

He outlined what the next administration must deliver: a commercially stronger domestic league, sustainable sponsorship, stronger clubs and State associations, expanded grassroots development, improved financial transparency, and clear pathways for players and coaches.

“Modern basketball administration requires business development, technology, governance, diplomacy, strategic communication and international partnerships,” he said.

“This is why qualified candidates bringing fresh professional expertise deserve serious consideration. A new entrant may possess what an entrenched system often struggles to generate: independence from old factions and the courage to challenge established assumptions.”

Hassan urged delegates to focus on ideas and competence rather than titles, alliances or years spent in the system. He listed key questions every candidate must answer:

1. How will the domestic league become sustainable?
2. How will sponsorship grow?
3. How will grassroots basketball be transformed?
4. How will clubs and athletes benefit?
5. How will financial accountability improve?
6. How will the federation avoid a return to factional conflicts?

He cited the success of D’Tigress as proof of what Nigerian basketball can achieve “when talent meets preparation and organisation.”

“The NBBF belongs to Nigerian basketball, not to any individual, faction or generation. While past contributions deserve respect, respect is not entitlement; longevity is not ownership, and experience is not immunity from scrutiny,” Hassan said.

“The Congress has an opportunity to choose not just a familiar name, but a new direction. A direction built on professionalism rather than factionalism, accountability rather than accusation, and innovation rather than inertia.”

He concluded that after years of familiar battles, Nigerian basketball deserves “fresh thinking, fresh energy and fresh leadership.”

“The future should not be another version of the past. It should be a profound expression of capacity, credibility, passion and rebirth that will catapult the NBBF to global relevance.”