Rivers NBA Chairmen Condemn Query Against Port Harcourt Branch Leader, Demand Immediate Withdrawal
The eight Chairmen of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) branches in Rivers State have rejected a formal query issued to Cordelia Eke, Chairman of the NBA Port Harcourt Branch, describing it as an attempt to intimidate her and silence critical voices within the legal profession.
The query, dated April 25 and signed by Ebiriemg Deresima, Director of Administration at the Rivers State Ministry of Justice, accused Mrs. Eke of “serious misconduct” for co-authoring a communiqué that condemned the Rivers State administration’s alleged acts of lawlessness, impunity, and unconstitutional conduct, including the dismantling of democratic institutions and attacks on peaceful protesters.
The state government claimed her actions violated the Public Service Rules and were inappropriate for a civil servant.
In a joint press statement released Monday, the NBA branch chairmen firmly defended Eke, clarifying that she signed the communiqué not as a civil servant but in her capacity as the duly elected Chairman of the Port Harcourt Branch of the NBA. They emphasized that the document in question reflected the collective position of all NBA branches in Rivers State, following formal deliberations.
“The query to our colleague is nothing but an effort by the Sole Administrator to intimidate her into abandoning her role as Chairman of the NBA Port Harcourt Branch. It is a broader attempt to suppress the voices of lawyers and the people of Rivers State who dare to challenge executive overreach,” the chairmen stated.
They argued that their actions align with the NBA’s national leadership, referencing support from the Association’s President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN.
The chairmen also accused the Sole Administrator of using the query as a tool to undermine free speech and dismantle democratic structures, contradicting the stated purpose of his appointment—to restore peace.
“It must be noted that the Nigerian Bar Association exists to uphold the rule of law. As society’s watchdog, it is our duty to speak truth to authority on behalf of both lawyers and the public. We will not be cowed into abandoning this responsibility,” they added.
Calling for the immediate withdrawal of the query, the chairmen warned against any further attempts to stifle constitutional rights and democratic participation in the state.
The statement was jointly signed by:
• Dr. Hilda Desmond-Ihekaire, Chairman, Ahoada Branch
• Simple Dioha, Esq., Chairman, Isiokpo Branch
• Abiye Abo, Esq., Chairman, Degema Branch
• Dr. N. A. Duson, Chairman, Bori Branch
• Dr. Celestine Nwankwo, Chairman, Okehi Branch
They reaffirmed their commitment to defending the rights of lawyers and the wider public and pledged to resist any form of harassment or persecution against the NBA’s leadership in Rivers State.
