Return Our N300 million, Rivers Administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas Lampoons NBA over Moving Conference out of State

The Rivers State Government has demanded a refund of N300 million allegedly paid to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for the hosting rights of the association’s 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC), originally slated to hold in Port Harcourt.

The request follows the NBA’s decision to relocate the conference to Enugu, citing what it described as “constitutional violations” in Rivers State.

The association said the state is currently under emergency rule, governed by a sole administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired vice admiral appointed by President Bola Tinubu.

The NBA had stated that Rivers is being run by a military-style administration that disregards court rulings and constitutional provisions. The group added that its decision to change the venue was based on a principled stand against the erosion of democratic processes.

President Tinubu had earlier suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all members of the State House of Assembly for six months, appointing Ibas to take charge as sole administrator in a bid to quell a protracted political crisis in the state.

In a statement issued on Monday by Hector Igbikiowubo, Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Rivers State Government, the administration said the NBA’s actions overlooked the constitutional context and necessity of the emergency measures. The government said the emergency rule was imposed to restore order and ensure the eventual return of democratic institutions.

“Contrary to the NBA’s assertions, the sole administrator has consistently reaffirmed his commitment to restoring democratic institutions as soon as practicable,” the statement said. “The NBA, as a body of legal minds, should know better than to reduce a complex constitutional matter to political sensationalism.”

The government also criticized the NBA for failing to address the refund of the N300 million already paid by the state, saying the association cannot in good faith benefit from a government it now publicly discredits.

“If the NBA truly stands on principle, it should demonstrate the same integrity by promptly returning these funds,” the statement added.

In August 2024, NBA President Afam Osigwe had announced that Port Harcourt would host the 2025 conference. The recent change of venue and subsequent financial dispute now add a new layer of controversy to the ongoing political tension in Rivers State.