The Rivers State Administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas, has asked the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to immediately refund the N300 million the state government paid the association as “hosting rights” for the NBA 2025 Annual General Conference or face legal action.
“Failure of the NBA to immediately refund the N300 million to the Rivers State Government will compel the implementation of all legal means to recover the property of the good people of Rivers State,” Mr Ibas’ spokesperson, Hector Igbikiowubo, said in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday.
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The NBA moved its 2025 annual conference earlier scheduled for Port Harcourt to Enugu in Enugu State in protest against the declaration of a state of emergency in the oil-rich state and suspension of all elected officials, including Governor Siminalayi Fubara, by President Bola Tinubu.
The president had appointed Mr Ibas, a retired chief of naval staff, as the sole administrator for the state for an initial period of six months.
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The NBA reiterated that Mr Ibas’ appointment was illegal and that the president lacks the power to remove Mr Fubara from office.
The association said Mr Ibas operates within a command-style approach that disregards constitutional provisions, court decisions, and pending litigations.
“His actions have undermined democratic institutions and processes, flouting the rule of law with impunity. Though clad in civilian attire, he governs as though the state is under military rule,” the NBA said, stressing that hosting the conference in Port Harcourt would amount to an endorsement of illegality.
In protest of the president’s action, the association relocated the conference from Port Harcourt to Enugu, prompting a backlash from Mr Ibas.
Refund Rivers N300 million hosting money – Ibas to NBA
In his reaction to the relocation of the conference, Mr Ibas had, in a statement, asked the NBA to refund N300 million paid by the Rivers State under Governor Fubara as hosting right for the conference.
“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,” Mr Ibas had said.
In reaction, the NBA said it could not refund the money because it was a “gift” for the association for its 2025 annual conference.
The NBA said the decision to host the conference in Port Harcourt was taken in 2024 and was not subject to bidding or payment of 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,” the association said, arguing that due to the enormous cost of hosting the event, it usually seeks financial support in form of gifts, partnerships, and sponsorships from government agencies and corporate organisations.
Ibas rejects NBA’s explanation
In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Ibas rejected the NBA’s explanation on the matter.
“The Rivers State Government outrightly rejects the NBA’s recent allegation that the N300 million payment made by the state was a “gift”, unrelated to hosting rights for the NBA AGC 2025.
“For clarity, the Rivers State Government’s records show that the payment of N300 million to the NBA was made with the mutual understanding that Rivers State would host the 2025 edition of the NBA AGC,” Mr Ibas said.
Mr Ibas said the arrangement with the NBA was reached with the understanding that hosting the conference would attract economic benefits to the state and described the NBA’s unilateral relocation of the conference and withholding of the N300 million paid for the hosting rights as “unethical and amounts to a breach of trust.”
Mr Ibas asked the NBA to refund the money immediately else the state government will take legal action to recover it.
When contacted, Afam Osigwe, the NBA president, said “We have noted their threat (to go to court),” he said and declined further comments.
Mr Ibas has come under criticism over his actions in Rivers State, particularly, appointing sole administrators for local government councils in the state.
READ ALSO: Rivers: How Tinubu erred in declaring state of emergency, suspending Fubara – Lawyers
The former governor of the state, Ada George, has described the appointment as “illegal” and vowed to challenge it in court.
Similarly, Jake Epelle, the founder of the Albinism Foundation, has also criticised Mr Ibas, describing his appointment as sole administrator as “illegal.”
“Mr Ibas was sent to make regulations not appointments,” Mr Epelle said, adding that Mr Ibas’ actions have caused him to believe that the president may have removed Mr Fubara under the pretext of suspension.
