By Ikechukwu Nnochiri, Abuja
The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has dismissed as false the claim by the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, Rtd, that the state paid ₦300 million to secure hosting rights for the 2025 Annual General Conference, AGC, of the association that has now been moved to Enugu State.
Reacting to Ibas’ demand for a refund of the money, the NBA, in a statement that was signed by the Chairman of its Conference Planning Committee, Mr Emeka Obegolu, SAN, and made available to newsmen on Monday, maintained that the money from Rivers State was a gift that was not tied to any purported hosting right.
The legal body said 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.
It stressed that such support requested was unconditional and not tied to hosting rights or any rights whatsoever, saying it would not be drawn into any unnecessary controversy with Ibas over this issue.
The statement read: “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.”
It will be recalled that the National Executive Council, NEC, of NBA which is the umbrella body of legal practitioners in the country, had, after a meeting it held on March 27, resolved to shift the venue of the scheduled conference to Enugu following what it described as a series of undemocratic developments in Rivers State.
The NBA accused Ibas, whose appointment as a Sole Administrator, it said, was illegal, of “flouting the rule of law with impunity.”
According to the legal body, 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”.
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