The Rivers State Government has demanded a refund of N300 million from the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) following the relocation of the NBA’s 2025 Annual General Conference from Port Harcourt to Enugu.
In a statement issued by the state’s Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), and signed by his media aide, Hector Igbikiowubo, the government described the NBA’s justification for the relocation as “misleading and uncharitable.”
“While we respect the NBA’s right to choose its conference venues, it is curious that the association failed to address the refund of the N300 million already paid for hosting rights,” Ibas stated.
The NBA had cited concerns over democratic governance and the rule of law in Rivers State, pointing to actions by the Sole Administrator as grounds for moving the conference.
However, Ibas defended the administration, asserting that the current transitional government is constitutionally backed and necessary for restoring stability after a breakdown of public order.
He referenced a Supreme Court ruling—Suit No. SC/CV/1176/2024—as validation for actions taken under his leadership, adding that claims of lawlessness ignore established legal judgments.
“The NBA, as a body of legal minds, should avoid reducing complex constitutional matters to political sensationalism,” Ibas said.
While calling for constructive engagement, the Rivers State Government urged the NBA to support the state’s efforts toward democratic restoration, rather than fueling division.
