From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
A group known as the Benue State Indigenous Basketball Players Group on Friday, staged a peaceful protest in Makurdi the state capital to demand the immediate immediate sack of Col. Sam Ahmedu as Chairman, Benue State Basketball Association.
The aggrieved basketball players who staged a peaceful walk to the office of the Secretary to the State Governor (SSG), bore placards with various inscriptions and chanted protest songs to drive home their points.
Some of the placards read, ‘Sam Ahmedu is anti-Benue basketball resign now’, ‘Say no to trading with our basketball’, ‘We support Benue to be represented on the Board of MBBF’ and Sam Ahmedu must go,’.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Musa Ibrahim said they were out to register their displeasure against Mr. Sam Ahmedu’s exploits and to bring to public knowledge his malevolent, conceivable desire to shortchange Benue State at the National Board of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF).
In a statement titled: ‘Inordinate Disposition of Col. Sam Agmedu and his likely Betrayal of Benue’s Cause,’ the group said it was protesting against the of the leadership of the Benue State Basketball Association led by Mr. Sam Ahmedu.
“We, members of the Benue State Indigenous Basketball Players Group across the 36 States of the Federal Republic of Nigeria today have marched out in open defiance of the leadership of the Benue State Basketball Association led by Mr. Sam Ahmedu.
“As you may have become aware, soon elections into the National Board of the Nigeria Basketball Federation will take place. It is among the Zonal Representatives elected into the Board that the President of the Board will emerge. This implies that, one has to, first, be voted into the Board as a representative of his geopolitical zone before he can be eligible to contest for the position of President of the National Board.
“We have promising, prominent, competent and outstanding citizens of our dear beloved state vying to emerge North -Central representative at the Board of the Nigeria Basketball Federation. Sadly and shamefully, the Chairman of the Benue State Basketball Association, Col. Sam Ahmedu who by virtue of his position is an automatic delegate at the election has since pitched tent with the candidate of Plateau State and has been according him all the necessary support to emerge victorious as North Central Representative.
“Without mincing words, we find this behaviour and development unpatriotic, unreasonable, unjustifiable, callous, malicious, malignant and a deliberate attempt to undermine the sensibility of basketball players, supporters and the government and entire people of Benue State,” the groups noted.
The group alleged that the drive exhibited by Mr. Ahemdu is clearly anchored on his selfish desire to protect his lone interest at the National Federation where he has been working closely with the immediate past President of the Board, Mr. Musa Kida.
“Sir, the import of a Benue State indigene emerging the North Central representative at the board need not be overemphasized, hence same would be the first step to having a Benue State President of the board; a feat that would forever be recorded as your achievement.”
The group lamented that while government of all other states are keenly supporting their indigenes to emerge zonal representatives, Ahmedu has continued to rather support Plateau State in that regards.
“This poor show of inordinate intentions is contrary to the disposition of the Governor Samuel Ortom led administration that has countlessly pursued the appointment and success of Benue indigenes at the national level, the recent being the emergence of a North Central consensus candidate for the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“In view of the foregoing, it is the collective submission, wish and aspiration of every basketball loving man, woman and child of Benue State origin that Sam Ahmedu be made to immediately resign his chairmanship of the Benue State Basketball Association or the entire leadership be immediately dissolved in the collective interest of the State.
“We cannot afford to hold a traitor close at this critical moment when we struggle for our right to self determination and recognition at the national front. Sir, he should be shown the way out and we urge Governor Samuel Ortom to so hold”, the group said.
Secretary to the State Government, SSG Prof. Anthony Ijohor was not around at the time of the protest but a Special Assistant to the Governor in office of the SSG Special Duties, Mr. Samuel Zege recieved the protest letter on his behalf and promised to intimate his boss of their grievances, assuring that it will be addressed.
Reacting, the State Chairman of Basketball Association, Sam Ahmedu while positing that the protest against him was being engineered by some politicians, debunked claims that he was running the association with high-handedness or betraying the state.
Ahmedu who insisted that some of the protesters were only hired crowd, wondered why indigenious basket ballers who came from other states were not in the state for the protest.
“I heard about the protest this morning and I don’t know what they are saying that I run the association with high-handedness.
They are sponsored people. You know it is time for politics. It is very funny because I have been effective chairman. I don’t need to reside in the state physically to be chairman. I know those behind the protest but I will not mention their names.
“Benue State Sports Council established state basketball association and there is never been any case of high handedness. We have head coach, secretary and other board members and we have been doing our work.
“Have they asked for anything that we have not done, we have been participating in the league and just got to the final. We brought Americans that trained them.
“Thirty six states will be vote and Benue has only one vote out of 36 it shows they are not truthful at all. They only want to play sentiment on people of the state, there is a process to come on board,” Ahmedu said.