The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has vehemently denied claims by Rivers State’s Sole Administrator, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, that the state paid N300 million for hosting rights of the 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC), asserting instead that the money was a gift.
Responding to Ibas’ refund demand, the association maintained in a statement signed by it’s Conference Planning Committee Chairman, Mr. Emeka Obegolu (SAN) and released on Monday that the money from Rivers State was a gift, not tied to any hosting rights.
The body explained that its organizing committee routinely seeks support from various stakeholders, including government agencies and state governments to help cover the significant expenses of hosting the conference.
NBA 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 the issue.
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 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 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.”
It also stated: “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.”
Persecondnews recalls that the National Executive Council (NEC) of the NBA, after a meeting on March 27, resolved to relocate the scheduled conference to Enugu due to a “series of undemocratic developments” in Rivers State.
It accused Ibas, whose appointment as a Sole Administrator, it said, was illegal, of “flouting the rule of law with impunity.”
The body claimed 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”.
In his response, Ibas, in a statement released on Monday, demanded the refund of N300 million already paid by the Rivers State Government to the association for the hosting rights of the 2025 conference.
He said: “While we respect the NBA’s right to choose its conference venues, we find it curious that the association—despite its “principled position”— did not 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.”
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