The Rivers State Government has asked the Nigerian Bar Association to refund the N300 million it paid for the hosting rights of the NBA’s 2025 Annual General Conference.
The demand came after the NBA announced that it had moved the conference from Port Harcourt to Enugu, citing concerns over the state’s political situation and rule of law under the current administration.
In a statement released on Monday by the media aide to the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Hector Igbikiowubo, the state described the NBA’s reasons for relocating the event as “misleading and uncharitable.”
The Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), said, “While we respect the NBA’s right to choose its conference venues, we find it curious that the association—despite its ‘principled position’—didn’t address the refund of the N300 million already paid by the Rivers State Government for the hosting rights of the 2025 conference. If the NBA truly stands on principle, it should demonstrate the same integrity by promptly returning these funds rather than benefiting from a state it now publicly discredits.”
He noted that the NBA’s statement on April 10 failed to acknowledge the constitutional basis for the current leadership in Rivers, which was put in place following the declaration of a state of emergency due to the breakdown of law and order.
“We find the reasons cited for this decision—particularly the insinuation that the Sole Administrator’s actions have undermined democracy and the rule of law—to be misleading, uncharitable, and unbecoming of an association that prides itself on upholding justice and fairness,” the statement said.
The administrator explained that President Bola Tinubu acted within his constitutional powers when he appointed him to lead the state during this transitional period. He said his job is to bring back order and prepare for a return to democratic governance.
“To suggest that this intervention ‘flouts the rule of law’ is not only incorrect but ignores the Supreme Court’s rulings that have validated key decisions made during this period,” the statement said.
It also referenced a recent Supreme Court judgment in the case *Rivers State House of Assembly & Others vs. Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) & Nine Others*, saying the court had ruled that any local government election held against the Electoral Act is unconstitutional and void.
Ibas insisted that the NBA should not reduce a serious constitutional issue to what he called “political sensationalism.”
“Rather than contributing to unnecessary tension, we expect the NBA—as a critical stakeholder in Nigeria’s democracy—to engage constructively, offering solutions instead of amplifying divisive narratives. The Sole Administrator remains focused on his mandate to stabilize the state and facilitate a smooth return to full constitutional governance. We urge the NBA and other well-meaning Nigerians to support this process in the interest of peace and progress,” the statement added.
