Ezekiel Awojide, Abuja
The Chairman of the 2025 Nigerian Bar Association Annual General Conference Planning Committee, Emeka Obegolu (SAN), has said the ₦300m given to the association to host the 2025 AGC in Port Harcourt was a gift.
He said the decision to host the conference in the state was also taken in August 2024.
He further disclosed that it was a decision that was arrived at without subjecting it to any bidding process or payment of any hosting rights.
Obegolu said that it was traditional of the NBA Conference Planning Committee to approach organisations, government agencies, and state governments for support to defray the enormous cost involved in hosting the AGC.
He was referring to the statement credited to the Rivers State Government asking it to match its words and actions with integrity by quickly return the N300m it collected from the state for the hosting of the legal body’s 2025 annual conference.
The state said the legal association should also stop playing into the gallery by reducing what it called a ‘‘complex constitutional matter to political sensationalism.’’
After it rejected the declaration of a state of emergency in the state, the NBA last Friday moved its 2025 Annual General Conference from Port Harcourt in Rivers to Enugu.
The association said the suspension of the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, and the state House of Assembly for six months by President Bola Tinubu was unconstitutional.
It said the sacking, which had received the backing of the National Assembly, was a “constitutional violation”
It, therefore, rejected the appointment of Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired vice-admiral, as the sole administrator of the oil-rich state.
But in a statement on Monday, the government said the NBA’s position “overlooks the constitutional basis for the current administration in Rivers state”.
The statement read in part, “Contrary to the NBA’s assertions, the sole administrator has consistently reaffirmed his commitment to restoring democratic institutions as soon as practicable.
“Upholding the constitutional rights of all residents, including freedom of movement, speech, and association. Respecting judicial pronouncements, including those of the Supreme Court, which have guided the administration’s actions.
“The NBA, as a body of legal minds, should know better than to reduce a complex constitutional matter to political sensationalism.
“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.
“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.”
Obegolu, however, said the association won’t return the money.
He said, “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 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 Port Harcourt 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 right 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, NBA Conference Planning Committee approaches organisations, 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 support is 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.”
