Former D’Tigers star and NBA draftee, Ejike Christopher Ugboaja, has declared his intention to contest for the presidency of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF).
Ugboaja made the declaration at a press conference on Wednesday in Abuja, saying his decision was driven by his long-standing involvement in Nigerian basketball and his desire to address persistent challenges affecting the sport.
The 2012 Olympian, who in 2006 became the first player drafted into the NBA directly from the Nigerian domestic league, said ex-players have not shown enough concern about the decay in the federation, hence his decision to take the bull by the horns.
His 3-Point Agenda:
- Restore Regular League: He criticised the current two-week league format and promised an 8-month Premier League season that gives players regular competitive action. “We cannot continue to play two-week leagues when we know how basketball is organised abroad,” he said.
- Grassroots Development: He promised to expand basketball into secondary schools and universities and create clearer pathways for locally based players to reach the national team.
- Free & Transparent Election: The presidential aspirant also called for a transparent and inclusive 2026 NBBF election, insisting the constitution should not be used to control who participates.
“I am not a politician. I am not in government. I am a basketball player, and I want to fix Nigerian basketball because I want to take more young people off the streets,” Ugboaja said.
He added that since returning to Nigeria, he has invested his personal resources in supporting players and grassroots programmes without government backing.
