A controversy has erupted between the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Rivers State Government following the NBA’s decision to move its 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC) from Port Harcourt to Enugu. The dispute centers on a N300 million sum collected by the NBA from the Rivers State Government in anticipation of hosting the conference in the state.
Rivers State Sole Administrator Ibok-Ete Ibas has demanded a refund of the N300 million, which was approved by the suspended Governor Siminialayi Fubara. However, the NBA maintains that the money was an “unconditional gift” and not a payment for hosting rights.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Hector Igbikiowubo, Vice Admiral Ibas expressed the government’s “curiosity” that the NBA relocated the conference despite receiving the funds. The statement asserted that if the NBA truly operates on principle, it should “promptly return these funds rather than benefiting from a state it now publicly discredits.”
The Rivers State Government also defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s intervention in the state as being in the best interest of restoring stability and in line with the Constitution. The government refuted claims that the sole administrator’s appointment “flouts the rule of law,” citing Supreme Court rulings that have validated key decisions made during this period. They further referenced a Supreme Court judgment (Suit No. SC/CV/1176/2024) declaring unconstitutional any local government election conducted in violation of the Electoral Act, suggesting the NBA should be well aware of such legal precedents.
The state government urged the NBA to engage constructively and offer solutions rather than “amplifying divisive narratives” during what it described as a “challenging but necessary phase” in Rivers State’s democratic journey. They called for support for the sole administrator’s mandate to stabilize the state and facilitate a smooth return to full constitutional governance.
Meanwhile, the NBA, through its AGC 2025 Planning Committee Chair Emeka Obegolu (SAN), clarified that the initial decision to host the AGC in Port Harcourt in August 2024 did not involve any bidding process or payment for hosting rights. The NBA explained that it traditionally seeks support from various organizations, including state governments, through “unconditional gifts, partnerships or sponsorships” to offset the significant costs of hosting the AGC. They stated that the N300 million from Rivers State was such a gift and not tied to any hosting rights. The NBA’s decision to move the conference to Enugu followed the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, which prompted the refund demand from the state government.
