Top members of the IIbrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) International Golf and Country Club, Abuja, have appealed to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike to consider reopening of the club.
The appeal came after a petition signed at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, where over 2,000 members expressed their support for the club’s reopening.
The petition, which appealed to Wike to intervene and reopen the club began on Tuesday at the practice pitch of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja and ended on Saturday.
Members emphasized the importance of reopening the club and commended the Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF) President Otunba Olusegun Runsewe for setting up a committee under the leadership of AVM B.D Solomon to drive the reconciliation efforts and petition signing exercise at the stadium.
Recall that the club’s leadership crisis led to the postponement of its 2025 Annual General Meeting and elections.
The IBB International Golf and Country Club, 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.
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, Mr Ben Ikokwu and Adumu Suleiman.
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.
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.
However, three members who were 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 gave its ruling 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 is currently under surveillance, with access restricted to essential personnel such as security officers and groundskeepers.
“By taking part in this petition signing exercise, our members have agreed to abide by all the minister’s conditions through the newly appointed BoT members of the club,” he said.
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