The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed November 3, 2026, for the hearing of a suit challenging the conduct of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) elective congress after declining an application to stop the election scheduled for Thursday.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/S/2428, was instituted by Ayodele Olaseinde Bakare against the NBBF and the National Sports Commission (NSC).

Bakare is challenging the legality of the congress held in Yola, Adamawa State, alleging that the meeting was convened in violation of provisions of the NBBF Constitution.

The plaintiff argued that the required notice for the extraordinary congress was not issued by either two-thirds of the Congress members or the NBBF Board, as stipulated by the federation’s constitution.

He further contended that only 44 of the 50 Congress members at the Yola meeting were served notice of the gathering, alleging that the failure to notify all members breached the applicable constitutional provisions governing the composition and conduct of the Congress, as well as the right to a fair hearing of those who were not served.

At Wednesday’s proceedings, the court declined to grant the plaintiff’s request for an interim order restraining the federation from proceeding with its scheduled elective congress.

However, the court granted an application to abridge the time allowed for the defendants to respond to the substantive claims, reducing the period from one month to two weeks.

The matter was subsequently adjourned to November 3, 2026, for hearing at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

In considering the request to halt the election, the court reportedly took into account the proximity of the scheduled congress and the financial and logistical commitments already made, including travel arrangements for delegates from across the country, venue bookings and other related preparations.

The need to give the defendants an opportunity to be heard before issuing an order capable of disrupting the electoral process was also considered.

The court further directed that the originating court processes be served on both the NBBF and the NSC to formally notify them of the suit and allow them to respond to the allegations.

The forthcoming hearing is expected to focus on whether the procedures adopted in convening the Yola congress complied with the NBBF Constitution and other applicable regulations.

Bakare will have the opportunity to present his arguments and supporting evidence, while the defendants will be able to contest the allegations and put forward their defence.

Should the plaintiff establish that the congress was convened in breach of the relevant constitutional provisions, the court will consider the appropriate remedies within the scope of the claims before it.

However, the refusal to grant the interim injunction does not amount to a final determination of the substantive dispute or a judicial endorsement of the legality of the electoral process.

The case therefore remains pending, with the November 3 hearing expected to be the next significant step in the legal challenge to the NBBF’s electoral procedures.

The outcome could have implications for the federation’s governance, particularly regarding compliance with its constitution in convening congress meetings and conducting elections.