Former D’Tigers captain Olumide Oyedeji has expressed doubts about the credibility of Thursday’s Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) presidential election, alleging that some stakeholders are being pressured to influence the outcome.

Oyedeji, who is contesting for the federation’s presidency, said concerns over alleged interference involving state officials and changes to the delegate list had cast doubt on the transparency of the electoral process.

Speaking ahead of the 15 October poll in Abuja, the former national team captain called for an election in which delegates could exercise their voting rights without intimidation or undue influence.

He alleged that some individuals had contacted state governors and other government officials in an attempt to sway their positions ahead of the contest.

According to Oyedeji, the alleged interference included calls to stakeholders and attempts to influence their decisions in the run-up to the election.

“I mean, a couple of days before then, you send your letters in, I mean, you see intimidation, you see people calling the chairman,” he said.

He also claimed that a South-East governor had reached out to other governors, directors and commissioners, alleging that the contacts were intended to put pressure on those involved in the electoral process.

Oyedeji maintained that candidates should be allowed to compete on the strength of their support rather than through tactics that could undermine the credibility of the election.

He further questioned the rationale behind the alleged pressure on stakeholders, arguing that candidates confident of their backing should have no need to resort to such measures.

The claims, however, have not been independently verified.

Delegate list sparks further questions

Beyond the alleged pressure on stakeholders, Oyedeji expressed concern over reported changes to the list of delegates expected to participate in the election.

He suggested that the development had heightened his reservations about the process, questioning whether the poll would meet the standards of transparency and fairness expected of a federation-wide election.

“We have to have a free or fair election. We’re talking about the free, fair election. Are we gonna have a free election? Yes, are we going to have a fair election? I don’t know,” he said.

The presidential aspirant added that he was not convinced the process would be fair, given what he described as developments surrounding the delegate list.

“I don’t think so, because maybe we’re just going there to just start with what’s already been planned,” he said.

His comments place the spotlight on the electoral process as the federation prepares to elect its next leadership, with the conduct of the poll likely to be closely watched by candidates and basketball stakeholders.

Committee assures stakeholders

The NBBF presidential election is scheduled for Thursday, 15 October, at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.

The federation’s Electoral Committee, chaired by Dr Lanre Glover, has assured stakeholders that the election will be conducted freely and fairly, with candidates afforded equal opportunities under the applicable electoral guidelines.

As the election approaches , attention will be on the committee’s ability to address concerns surrounding the process and ensure that the election is transparent and credible.

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Inter Lagos have parted ways with head coach Shakiru Giwa following a disappointing start to their debut Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) campaign.

The newly promoted side sit at the bottom of the league table after struggling to establish themselves in the top flight, with Giwa’s departure leaving the club facing an early fight to secure their NPFL status.

Inter Lagos struggle in debut NPFL campaign

Inter Lagos secured promotion from the Nigeria National League (NNL) after an impressive campaign, raising expectations ahead of their first appearance in the NPFL.

However, the transition to the top flight has proved difficult, with the Lagos-based club struggling to maintain consistency against more experienced opposition.

Their campaign began with a 2-1 defeat to Shooting Stars in Ibadan, although captain Uchenna Njoku made history by scoring the club’s first-ever NPFL goal.

Inter Lagos subsequently suffered a 3-0 loss to city rivals Sporting Lagos before responding with a 1-0 away victory over former African champions Enyimba in Aba.

The win demonstrated their ability to compete at the highest level of domestic football, but their inability to build on that result has left them struggling for points.

Inter Lagos face crucial coaching decision

Giwa’s departure presents the club’s management with an important decision as they seek to revive their campaign and avoid being dragged further into the relegation battle.

The next appointment will be crucial, with Inter Lagos needing to improve their defensive organisation, become more effective in front of goal and find greater consistency across their remaining fixtures.

With the season still unfolding, the club must also ensure that any managerial change translates into improved performances and results on the pitch.

Inter Lagos target NPFL survival

Despite the difficult start, Inter Lagos had made their priorities clear before the season began, with survival identified as the primary objective of their debut top-flight campaign.

Club chief executive Lanre Vigo reiterated that ambition after the team’s 3-0 defeat to Sporting Lagos in September.

“We are a young team, we are growing. We are going to survive this league; that is our plan,” Vigo said.

The statement underlined the club’s determination to establish themselves in the NPFL despite the challenges associated with competing at the highest level of Nigerian domestic football.

Inter Lagos must now respond to Giwa’s departure with an improved run of results if they are to turn their difficult start into a successful battle for survival.

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The Super Eagles have dropped four places to 30th in the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking and slipped from fourth to sixth in Africa following a difficult September-October international window.

Nigeria’s points tally fell by 17.05 from 1,585.02 to 1,567.97 in the ranking released on Wednesday, 7 October 2026.

The three-time African champions began the window with a 2-1 comeback victory over Madagascar in a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Uyo before suffering a 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in Bissau.

Nigeria then ended the window with a 3-3 draw against Russia in Nizhny Novgorod, but the result was not enough to prevent the Super Eagles from losing ground in the latest ranking.

Super Eagles lose ground in Africa

Nigeria’s fall from fourth to sixth means Algeria and Côte d’Ivoire have moved ahead of the Super Eagles.

Algeria are now 28th in the world with 1,574.77 points, while Côte d’Ivoire climbed two places to 29th with 1,569.32 points.

Nigeria sit just behind the Elephants on 1,567.97 points, leaving a gap of less than two points between the two West African sides.

Morocco remain Africa’s highest-ranked team despite dropping to seventh globally. Senegal are second on the continent and 18th in the world, while Egypt occupy third place in Africa at 25th globally.

The top six in Africa are therefore Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria.

Guinea-Bissau make significant rise

Guinea-Bissau were among the biggest beneficiaries of the latest ranking after their 3-0 victory over Nigeria.

The Djurtus climbed eight places to 124th globally after gaining 35 points, according to the latest ranking data.

The result came after Guinea-Bissau had previously been ranked below Nigeria by a significant margin, but their victory in Bissau provided a major boost to their standing.

Rwanda recorded the biggest rise among African teams in the ranking, moving nine places to 119th, while The Gambia climbed seven places to 109th.

Botswana also moved six places to 141st, while Mozambique rose five places to 98th.

Mali, South Africa break into top 50

Mali and South Africa were among the other African sides to make notable progress.

Mali climbed six places to 47th globally, while South Africa also moved six spots to 48th.

Their progress means Africa now has 10 teams inside the global top 50, with DR Congo, Cameroon, Mali and South Africa joining Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria.

The movement reflects the impact of the recent Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixtures on the latest FIFA ranking.

Spain retain top spot

At the summit of the global ranking, world champions Spain extended their lead at the top with 2,011.57 points.

Argentina remain second on 1,972.80 points, while France are third and England fourth.

Portugal were the only team to move within the top 10, climbing two places to fifth and overtaking Brazil, who dropped to sixth. Morocco are seventh, followed by Belgium, the Netherlands and Mexico.

Switzerland also made a significant move, climbing to 12th, while Norway jumped 12 places to 19th.

FIFA said 338 men’s internationals have been played since the 2026 World Cup final on 19 July, with the results of those matches contributing to the latest movement in the ranking. (FIFA+⁠)

Nigeria face chance to recover

The Super Eagles will have another opportunity to regain some of the ground lost when the next FIFA international window arrives.

With Nigeria now sixth in Africa, positive results in their upcoming fixtures will be important if Eric Chelle‘s side are to climb back towards the continent’s leading positions.

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