NBA defends a N300m gift from Rivers State amid refund demands and a fiery showdown over emergency rule.
In a fiery rebuttal that underscores the widening rift between state authorities and professional bodies, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has firmly declared it will not refund the N300 million “gift” from the Rivers State Government.
Speaking on Monday, Emeka Obegolu, Chairperson of the conference’s Planning Committee and a seasoned Senior Advocate of Nigeria, categorically dismissed claims that the funds were linked to any hosting rights for the 2025 Annual General Conference.
The controversy erupted after Rivers State’s Sole Administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas, demanded the return of the sum, arguing that the state had paid for the privilege of hosting the conference in Port Harcourt.
However, Mr Obegolu refuted this assertion, emphasising that the decision to hold the conference in Port Harcourt was made in August 2024 without any bidding process or contractual obligation securing hosting rights.
“There was no sale of hosting rights. The funds were a gift – an unconditional form of support, not a payment for any entitlement,” he stated.
The NBA’s stance comes amid a broader political backdrop, where the relocation of the conference from Port Harcourt to Enugu was a pointed protest against the imposition of emergency rule in Rivers State and the subsequent, and widely criticised, appointment of Mr Ibas as sole administrator.
This dramatic move has not only heightened tensions between the NBA and the Rivers administration but also added another explosive chapter to the ongoing debate over constitutional propriety in the state.
Critics argue that the NBA’s refusal to refund the N300 million could be interpreted as a tacit endorsement of the state’s actions, thereby exacerbating an already volatile political climate.
Yet, the association remains resolute, insisting that accepting financial support from state actors does not equate to compromising its integrity or principles.
According to Mr Obegolu, the enormous costs associated with hosting such a high-profile conference necessitate sponsorships and partnerships, which are invariably offered as gifts rather than payments for hosting rights.
This latest development not only intensifies the scrutiny on Rivers State’s governance but also lays bare the complexities of intertwining state patronage with institutional autonomy.
As the political saga unfolds, the NBA’s uncompromising position on the N300 million gift is set to reverberate across Nigeria’s fraught political landscape.
- Additional report from Osaigbovo Okungbowa, Atlantic Post Senior Political Correspondent
