Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, has sparked controversy by defending the appointment of Court of Appeal President, Hon. Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, as Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) for the IBB International Golf and Country Club in Abuja. The appointment, made by Wike on Friday, April 4, 2025, has been sharply criticized by legal experts, including Professor Chidi Odinkalu, who labeled it “judicial misconduct of the rankest species.”
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Olayinka’s defense came in response to Odinkalu’s posts on X, where the law professor and human rights advocate condemned the move, citing ongoing court cases involving the club. Odinkalu wrote: “In 2011, under @GEJonathan, the IBB Golf Club in Abuja became a private club. With cases pending in court, @GovWike wades in & designates the President of @CourtOfAppealNG onto the BOT of the Golf Club. That is judicial misconduct of the rankest species.” He further called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), led by Mazi Afam Osigwe, and the National Judicial Council (NJC) to address what he described as Wike’s “brazen accessorization of judicial officers” and the judiciary’s failure to enforce the 2016 Judicial Code of Conduct.
Responding via his X handle @OlayinkaLere, Olayinka dismissed Odinkalu’s critique with a provocative counter: “In the USA, Supreme Court Justices are openly identified by their Conservative and Liberal political ideologies. They are associated with political parties in power when they were nominated. I say, let me educate this online prof @ChidiOdinkalu, who is a GAY supporter and SEX TOYS seller, just a bit.” Olayinka argued that Wike merely inaugurated the BoT in a public event, questioning whether judges should be barred from activities like golf, while also taking a swipe at Odinkalu’s credibility with personal insults.
Olayinka’s post, which included a personal jab at Odinkalu, has raised eyebrows, especially among members of the legal community. The exchange has reignited debate over judicial ethics in Nigeria, with many lawyers interpreting Olayinka’s comments as suggesting that Justice Dongban-Mensem’s appointment aligns her with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), given Wike’s political prominence. This is seen by many as an attempt to undermine the judiciary, which a significant number of Nigerians have already lost faith in.
Critics argue this breaches Rule 1(4) of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, which states: “The Judge must be sensitive to the need to avoid contacts that may lead people to speculate that there is a special relationship between him and someone whom the Judge may be tempted to favour in some way in the course of his judicial duties.” The code further mandates judges to avoid impropriety, uphold public confidence in judicial impartiality, and eschew relationships that could cast doubt on their objectivity.
The controversy follows Wike’s inauguration of the BoT, intended to resolve a leadership crisis at the club, which became privately owned in 2011 under President Goodluck Jonathan. However, the timing has raised concerns, as two related lawsuits remain active: Dr. Chukwuma Katchi v. Incorporated Trustees of the IBB International Golf and Country Club & 2 Ors (FCT/HC/CV/242/2025), set for April 10, 2025, and Incorporated Trustees of IBB International Golf and Country Club v. Corporate Affairs Commission & 3 Ors (FHC/ABJ/CS/483/2025), adjourned to April 4, 2025—the same day as the inauguration.
Adding to the tension, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Joe-Kyari Gadzama, a former club captain, had penned a letter to Wike on April 2, 2025, urging him to respect the rule of law. Gadzama wrote: “As a private club since 2011, it is essential that the constitution is adhered to… Considering that the matter is already sub judice, it may be prudent to allow the ongoing court actions… to proceed unhindered, permitting the court to adjudicate on the issues.” Gadzama’s plea underscored the legal sensitivity of Wike’s intervention.
Odinkalu escalated his criticism, alleging systemic judicial compromise: “All the people unlooking the evil events in #NigerianJudiciary are getting touched one by one. #DrunkenGlutton, @GovWike has declared emergency rule in #IBBGolfClub… If you appeal, his wife is there & @CourtOfAppealNG president is an impostor at the club. #GoToCourt!” The reference to Wike’s wife, a judge, further fueled claims of influence peddling.
Legal observers note that Olayinka’s comparison to U.S. Supreme Court justices—where ideological leanings are acknowledged but justices are not formally affiliated with political parties—misaligns with Nigeria’s stricter judicial conduct standards. The Nigerian lawyer, a prominent legal platform, highlighted that propriety and its appearance are “essential elements of a judge’s life,” per the code, raising questions about Justice Dongban-Mensem’s acceptance of the role amid pending litigation.
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