…commend Runsewe for setting up reconciliation committee
Some members of the IBB International Golf and Country Club (IIGCC) have appealed to the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, to reopen the Abuja-based Club.
The appeal came after a week-long petition signing exercise at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, where over 2,000 members expressed their support for the club’s reopening.
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While emphasising the importance of reopening the Club, the members commended President of the Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF), 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.
Sporting Tribune reports that the IIGCC has been embroiled in a leadership crisis which led to the intervention of the FCT Minister as it (the crisis) led to the postponement of the 2025 Annual General Meeting and elections.
But according Wike, the intervention was as a result of the FCT Administration’s commitment to restoring order and efficiency to the prestigious club and in a bid to stabilize the situation, Wike appointed a ten-member Interim Management Committee (IMC), chaired by Peter Deshi, to oversee the club’s administration.
The members who supported the minister’s intervention, however, expressed their desire for the club to resume operations, citing its importance to the community and the nation at large.
A member, Iyabo Adeola, noted that the members’ appeal highlights the need for a quick resolution to the crisis and the reopening of the club, which is a vital recreational and social hub in Abuja
Adebola said the members were willing to comply with the minister’s conditions for reopening, noting they were not part of the legal action taken against him.
He said, “We are appealing to the FCT Minister to kindly consider our request to reopen the IBB International Golf and Country club for the fact that we are not part of the few persons who took legal action against him.
“We have come to agree that the club is owned by the government, and we are ready to abide by the Minister’s conditions for the reopening of the club.
“We have been fully briefed by the NGF President about the minister’s good intentions and support for the club.”
Also, Nuhu Ahmad stressed that the petition signing exercise is seen as a positive step towards resolving the ongoing leadership crisis that led to the club’s closure.
Ahmad also assured that the members were willing to abide by the minister’s conditions and acknowledge government ownership of the club.
“The reopening of the club is not just fundamental for our health, but also our social network and the camaraderie we share amongst ourselves as members.
“We agree with the minister that it won’t be business as usual as there will be a strict compliance with regards to club membership.
“We also thank the BOT Chairman and the board members for their display of maturity and respect for the law of the land,” Ahmad said.
A.U. Bala, in his submission, said the closure had affected the welfare of members, who are eager to resume their activities and social events, as well as enjoy the club’s facilities.
NGF President and member BoT of the club, Otunba Runsewe, expressed his gratitude to all the members who turned out en masse to sign the petition.
Runsewe explained that the few people who went to court misunderstood the good intentions of the minister, stressing that all his decisions and plans were geared towards supporting the growth and development of the club.
The NGF boss noted that the BoT members were given two major agendas by the FCT Minister to handle.
He said, “We were given the mandate to go and organise a successful election and to amend the constitution to align with the realities on ground.
“The minister also promised to support the club, give it a face-lift and a befitting structure that suits our international standard, as soon as the BoT had achieved these two major agendas.
“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.”
