N300m confab hosting rights must be returned — Rivers Sole Administrator tells NBA

...Slams NBA’s conference relocation, demands respect for constitutional mandate

The Rivers State Government has formally requested the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to refund the N300 million paid for hosting rights for the 2025 Annual General Conference, following the NBA’s contentious decision to move the event from Port Harcourt to Enugu.

Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), Sole Administrator of Rivers State, made the demand in a statement released on Monday through his media aide, Hector Igbikiowubo. He described the NBA’s rationale for the relocation as “misleading and uncharitable,” alleging that the association had politicised a constitutional matter and misrepresented the state’s governance.

“While we recognise the NBA’s discretion in selecting its conference venues, it is surprising that the association, in asserting its so-called principled stance, failed to address the matter of the N300 million already paid by the Rivers State Government,” the statement read.

“If the NBA truly upholds its professed principles, it should demonstrate transparency and return the funds, rather than benefit from a state it now seeks to discredit.”

According to Ibas, the NBA’s implication that the current administration in Rivers had undermined democratic values and legal standards was inaccurate and disappointing for a body that positions itself as a defender of justice.

“We find the grounds advanced for the relocation particularly troubling, especially the suggestion that the Sole Administrator’s actions have violated democratic norms. Such claims are misleading and unworthy of an association committed to legal integrity,” he stated.

He contended that the NBA’s commentary ignored the legal and constitutional basis for the state’s current leadership structure.

“The NBA’s position fails to recognise the legal framework underpinning the appointment of a Sole Administrator. The declaration of a state of emergency was a necessary response to a disruption in public order and constitutional governance,” Ibas said.

He maintained that the appointment of a Sole Administrator was a constitutional measure authorised by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with the intention of stabilising the state.

“The role of the Sole Administrator is clearly defined: to guide the state through a transitional period until full democratic governance is restored. To assert that this arrangement contravenes the rule of law is incorrect and disregards judicial decisions that support these measures,” he added.

Referencing judicial precedent, the administration cited a recent Supreme Court ruling to reinforce its legal position.

“If the NBA is unaware, we refer it to the Supreme Court’s ruling in Suit No. SC/CV/1176/2024 (Rivers State House of Assembly & Others vs. Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) & Nine Others), which decisively held that any local government election conducted in breach of the Electoral Act is ‘unconstitutional, null, and void’.”

Despite the ongoing criticism, Ibas restated his administration’s willingness to maintain a relationship with the NBA but urged the association to base its positions on legal fact rather than political considerations.

“The Sole Administrator has consistently expressed readiness to engage constructively with the NBA. As a professional legal body, it should rise above political spin and recognise the complexity of the constitutional situation.”

Appealing for more thoughtful engagement, the statement continued, “Rivers State is undergoing a difficult but necessary phase in its constitutional evolution. The NBA, as a prominent voice in Nigeria’s democratic structure, should aim to foster unity and offer constructive input, rather than inflame tensions through speculative commentary.”

The administration concluded by reiterating its focus on stability and urging broader support for the state’s transitional efforts.

“The Sole Administrator remains committed to ensuring peace, governance, and a return to constitutional order. We invite the NBA and all concerned Nigerians to support these efforts for the sake of stability and national progress.”