Mark insists he is NBBF president, laments D’Tigress ouster from Women World Cup

Nigeria’s senior women national basketball team, D’Tigress.

• Call Mark to order, Ogunade urges stakeholders

Sponsor of Mark D Ball Basketball Championship, Igoche Mark, at the weekend, maintained his claim as the duly elected president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), saying the fight to claim his mandate is still on.

Mark, who welcomed President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to rescind the order withdrawing Nigeria from international basketball for two years, in a statement, commended the Federal Ministry of Sports for listening to the yearnings of Nigerians, especially, the pleas by former international players and key stakeholders of the game.

Mark, however, said he was saddened that the NBBF leadership impasse denied the women national team, D’Tigress, opportunity to take their place at the upcoming FIBA Women’s World Cup in Sidney, Australia.

He lamented that the ladies were made to bear the brunt of the regressive infighting, adding: “D’Tigress laboured and toiled to get the ticket but they have been replaced with Mali, and their efforts seem to have been wasted, while those that have held the game down are celebrating the president’s change of mind. Our ladies must not be the sacrificial lamb always.”

He warned those spreading fake news that he has conceded his position as the duly elected NBBF president to desist from making an already bad situation, worse.

“I am by this statement making a passionate appeal to all stakeholders of the game, that in accordance to the mandate given to me by genuine stakeholders of basketball on January 31, 2022, that I remain the president of the NBBF. There was never a time that the Sports Ministry asked me to step down for anybody. Besides, it is the responsibility of key