There is an overwhelming relief and high expectations within the Port Harcourt Polo Club family since July 9th landmark election that ushered in Ebi Diriyal as the new president.
Diriyal, the erstwhile vice president who received the mandate of members to lead the new management committee that would run the affairs of the polo club after the expiration of the Chukwudi Dimkpa-led Management Committee is confident that Rivers State would remain the flagship of sports tourism in the south-south geopolitical region. He has also pledged to build on the successes of previous management and take the club to greater heights.
“This is an extraordinary achievement and when I look around the hall, there is an air of huge expectation and may I specially say that we will strive to meet and exceed that expectation in our effort to run this club and propel it to higher accomplishments,” Diriyal said moments after he emerged as the new helmsman of the club.
“My task, my mission, my commitment to the Nigerian Polo Federation is to lead it to the achievement of all of the opportunities that we have and to promote polo in Nigeria and reposition the Nigerian polo globally.”
“On a personal note, today is possible for me, as my tenure as the Vice President was possible, because of the tremendous support I have received from all of you wonderful polo players and members.”
He thanked the immediate past administration for their hard work and dedication over the decades, while calling for suggestions and ideas that would further the greatness of the king of games in Port Harcourt, the Niger Delta region and the country.
Others who were elected in the new management committee are Henry Agbodjan who emerged the new Vice President; Fineman Olungwe as the Secretary; Victor Ojum as Treasurer; and one of the popular Port Harcourt-based patrons, David Sikpa who would serve as the Pony Welfare Officer. Sotonye Diamond was elected the new Social member, while Dave Agwalla is the security member of the club. The only female member of the new management committee is Nnene Anochie who is the Membership Secretary of the club; Austin Onimisi is House & Grounds member, just as Isaac Oguchi completes the list as Bar & Kitchen member of the club.
The election that was held two weeks after the initial June 26th poll was annulled due to protest by contestants and voters over an alleged inability to adhere to the constitution of the club, leading to the imposition of an Interim Committee to run the club for 21 days.
Chairman Board of Trustees of the foremost polo club, King Diette Spiff was forced to impose the committee comprising former presidents of the club, to curtail further breakdown of law and order and restore peace in the high profile polo centre.
It was learnt that trouble started when the Electoral Committee failed to meet the requirement of the club’s constitution by publishing the list of contestants to the various posts to be viewed for four days to the polls.
Established in 1972 by the Nigerian Army, the Port Harcourt Polo Club was later handed over to civilian management in 1974 and duly recognized as a Polo playing Club by the Nigeria Polo Association.
The club has, since its inception, striven to encourage horse riding, equestrian sporting activities and of course the noble game. Over the decades, the polo heaven has become a major center in the social and tourism calendar in Port Harcourt and the oil rich of the oil rich Delta region of the country.
The high profile club boasts of one of the best polo playing fields in the country, hold its billboard tournament, the Niger Delta Polo Festival every January of the year, featuring top Nigerian professional players and their foreign counterparts from Europe and Southern America in a weeklong polo fiesta.
Diriyal sets lofty targets for Port Harcourt Polo Club
