Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd), has criticised the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) over its decision to relocate the 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC) from Port Harcourt to Enugu.
The administrator has also demanded an immediate refund of the N300 million allegedly paid by the state for hosting rights.
In a statement issued on Monday by Hector Igbikiowubo, Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Rivers State Government, Ibas accused the NBA of political bias and double standards, saying its actions fail to reflect the principles it claims to uphold.
“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 read.
“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 NBA had announced on Friday that it would no longer hold its 2025 AGC in Rivers, citing “constitutional violations” following the recent declaration of a state of emergency in the state. The legal body pointed to the appointment of Ibas as sole administrator and the suspension of democratic institutions as key concerns.
“Currently, Rivers State is being governed by a retired military officer, appointed as a Sole Administrator, who operates with a command-style approach that disregards constitutional provisions, court decisions, and pending litigation,” the NBA said in its statement.
The decision followed President Bola Tinubu’s controversial move to suspend Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all members of the House of Assembly, imposing an emergency rule and appointing Ibas to steer the affairs of the state.
Responding to the NBA’s stance, the Rivers government said the association’s assessment “overlooks the constitutional basis for the current administration in Rivers State.”
“The declaration of the emergency rule in the state was a necessary response to a breakdown of public order and democratic processes,” the statement added.
“Contrary to the NBA’s assertions, the sole administrator has consistently reaffirmed his commitment to restoring democratic institutions as soon as practicable.”
The government further defended its actions, saying Ibas continues to uphold constitutional rights and respect judicial pronouncements, including those of the Supreme Court.
“The NBA, as a body of legal minds, should know better than to reduce a complex constitutional matter to political sensationalism,” the statement said.