Conference Relocation: Refund N300m Hosting Rights – Ibas Fires Back At NBA
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), has faulted the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) over its decision to relocate the 2025 Annual General Conference from Port Harcourt to Enugu, describing the move as “misleading, uncharitable, and unbecoming.”
In a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Monday by his media aide, Hector Igbikiowubo, Ibas maintained that while the NBA has the right to choose any venue for its event, it must not do so without addressing what he termed a more pressing matter ,the refund of the N300 million already paid by the Rivers State Government for hosting rights.
“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,” the statement reads.
“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.”
The statement was a direct reaction to the NBA’s April 10 announcement that it would no longer hold its Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt due to what it described as “democratic infractions and actions undermining the rule of law” in Rivers State.
But Ibas fired back, saying the NBA’s reasoning was “a shallow interpretation of a complex constitutional process.”
“The NBA’s statement overlooks the constitutional basis for the current administration in Rivers State,” he said. “The declaration of a state of emergency was a necessary response to a breakdown of public order and democratic processes.”
He defended the Federal Government’s intervention in the state, stating that President Bola Tinubu acted constitutionally and in the best interest of the people of Rivers.
“The Sole Administrator’s mandate is clear: to oversee a transitional period that ensures the return of full democratic governance in line with the Constitution,” Ibas stated. “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.”
Referencing legal backing for the administration’s actions, the statement cited the recent Supreme Court judgment in Suit No. SC/CV/1176/2024, where the apex court declared that any local government election conducted in violation of the Electoral Act was “unconstitutional, null and void.”
“In the event the NBA is not aware,” Ibas noted, “may we refer the association to the landmark judgment… where the apex court unequivocally ruled against the validity of flawed local elections.”
He also accused the NBA of political bias and selective outrage. “The NBA, as a body of legal minds, should know better than to reduce a complex constitutional matter to political sensationalism,” the statement said.
Despite the tone of the rebuttal, Ibas extended an olive branch, urging the NBA to engage constructively rather than inflaming tensions.
“Rivers State is passing through a challenging but necessary phase in its democratic journey,” he said. “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,” he concluded.
Hafsoh Isiaq is a graduate of Linguistics. An avid writer committed to creative, high-quality research and news reportage. She has considerable experience in writing and reporting across a variety of platforms including print and online.
