By Victor Okoye
No fewer than 2,000 members of the IBB International Golf and Country Club, Abuja have signed a petition distancing themselves from a lawsuit, filed by three members of the club against the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
The petition signed by the club members at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Tuesday, indicated a significant divide within the club, with many members expressing their commitment to lawful engagement with public authorities and respect for the FCT Minister.
The decision to sign the petition was taken at a stakeholders meeting held at the Golf and Health Signature, Abuja, on Friday.
The IBB International Golf and Country Club in Abuja had been embroiled in a leadership crisis, which led to the intervention of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Wike on April 5, appointed President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem as the Chairman Board of Trustees for the club to replace Gen. IBM Haruna.
Other new members of the BOT appointed were Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, Mrs Grace Ihonvbere, S.l. Ameh (SAN), Hamid Abbo, Admiral Victor Adedipe, (rtd), Chief Patrick Chidolue and Mr Ikokwu.
Gen Haruna, King Alfred Diete- Spiff, Dr Tim Menakaya and Amb. Babagana Kingibe, old members of the BoT were appointed as Patrons of the club, while Chief Philip Asiodu was dropped.
Wike stressed that the intervention was as a result of the FCT Administration’s commitment to restoring order and efficiency to the prestigious club, which had recently experienced internal challenges.
The club’s leadership crisis had sparked concerns about governance and structural reforms, with some members expressing support for the Minister’s intervention.
However, the trio of Ubong Esop Akpan, Tijani Abdulsalam Ogueyi, and Olalere Babasola), dissatisfied with the move by Wike, secured an interim court order restraining the Minister from inaugurating a new Board of Trustees (BoT) chaired by Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem.
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on April 24 ruled in favour of trio, regarding the ongoing leadership dispute at the IBB International Golf and Country Club.
The Court restrained the purported trustees appointed by Nyesom Wike, the Honourable Minister of the FCT from presiding over the Club’s upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled for April 26.
In a bid to stabilize the situation, Minister Wike appointed a ten-member Interim Management Committee (IMC), chaired by Peter Deshi, to oversee the club’s administration.
To avert further unrest, the Federal Government deployed operatives of the Nigeria Police and Department of State Services (DSS) to secure the premises.
The facility remains under tight surveillance, with access restricted to essential personnel such as security officers and groundskeepers.
Even IMC members are subject to identification checks before entry is granted.
Inside sources disclosed that the closure was also being utilised as a window for comprehensive renovations aimed at upgrading the club to international standards.
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