NBA Moves Annual Conference from Rivers to Enugu Due to Sack of.Democratic Structures

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has said that it will shift its 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC) from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to Enugu, based on issues of the erosion of democratic order and unconstitutional governance in Rivers State.

In a statement released on Thursday, the NBA condemned the federal government’s imposition of a Sole Administrator, a retired military officer, to govern Rivers State as a gross breach of constitutional norms.

The association criticized the administrator’s “command-style” mode of governance, which had undermined democratic institutions and processes, and openly disregarded the rule of law with impunity.

The decision to move the conference came after negotiations with Rivers State NBA branch chairmen and a special meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) on March 27. The NEC in its entirety lamented the suspension of democratic institutions and elected officials in the state, and characterized the National Assembly’s approval of the action as a “grave constitutional subversion.”

NBA stated that it would be an act of de facto endorsement of constitutional violation and subversion of the rule of law to hold the conference in Rivers State. The association reasserted its commitment to upholding democracy and legality, and declared the appointment of a Sole Administrator in Rivers State as unconstitutional.

Rather, the 2025 Annual General Conference is now to hold in Enugu, a city the NBA characterized as having infrastructure and capacity for hosting a conference of its caliber and magnitude.

The association put members at rest that arrangements for a successful and effective conference were already well progressed in Enugu.

The decision to relocate the conference is a significant milestone, and it is an indication of the determination of the NBA to safeguard the rule of law and democratic principles in Nigeria. The action of the association is bound to be seen as a significant setback for the federal government’s effort at over-reach against Rivers State, and it may have significant implications on the political landscape in the country.

The NBA release was signed on behalf of the association by its President, Afam Osigwe (SAN), its General Secretary, Mobolaji Ojibara, and Chairman of the AGC Planning Committee, Emeka Obegolu (SAN). Association members had been keenly interested in participating in the Port Harcourt conference, with registration figures shooting through the roof before the federal government declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025. The momentum was, however, checked by the declaration of a Sole Administrator by the federal government, and the NBA’s determination to relocate the conference is seen as a preemptive measure to ensure the canons of democracy and the rule of law are respected.