The leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), has fired back at the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Ibok-Ete Ibas, after he demanded that the association make a refund of the N300 million following the relocation of its annual conference venue to Enugu State.
The NBA’s response was contained in a statement issued on Monday by the chairman of the conference, Emeka Obegolu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
Emeka Obegolu, while dismissing Ibas demand, maintained that the money which was released under Mr. Sim Fubara, the suspended Governor of Rivers State, was a gift that was not tied to any purported hosting right.
The association argued in the statement that it was normal for its organising committee, in view of the enormous cost involved in hosting the AGC, to approach organisations, agencies of government and state governments for support.
The statement reads: “The attention of the Annual General Conference planning committee has been drawn to a statement credited to the Administrator of Rivers State to the effect that the Rivers State government paid hosting rights for the hosting of the NBA AGC 2025.
“We wish to clarify that the decision to host the 2025 AGC in Portharcourt was taken in August 2024 and was not subject to any bidding process or payment of any hosting rights.
“The host city has no hosting rights, and there is no representation by the NBA that the conference must be held in a chosen city.
“Traditionally, because of the enormous cost involved in hosting the AGC, the NBA Conference Planning Committee approaches organisations and agencies of government and state governments for support, and the support requested is unconditional and not tied to hosting rights or any rights whatsoever.
“Recent NBA conferences have been supported by different state governments, corporate organisations, ministries, departments and agencies whose budgets accommodate corporate social responsibilities and share the same vision with NBA.
“Such financial supports are in the form of gifts, partnerships or sponsorships.
“The money from Rivers State was a gift and was not tied to any purported hosting right for the NBA AGC.
“We are committed to delivering a world-class conference to members of the Bar and will not be drawn into any unnecessary controversy over this issue.”
News Band reported that NBA which is the umbrella body of legal practitioners in Nigeria, had after a meeting it held on March 27, agreed to shift the venue of the scheduled conference to Enugu following what it described as a series of undemocratic developments in Rivers State.
The association accused Ibas, whose appointment as a Sole Administrator, it said, was illegal, of “flouting the rule of law with impunity.”
However, NBA added that retaining Rivers State as the host of its conference would amount to “a tacit endorsement of constitutional violations and subversion of the rule of law”.
