The Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Etteh Ibas (retd) has threatened to take legal action against the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, if the body refuses to refund the controversial N300million “hosting rights” fund.
The state government noted that the statement by the NBA on the relocation of the 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC) from Port Harcourt, Rivers State to Enugu State was unconvincing.
The Rivers State government, however, rightly rejects the NBA’s recent stand that the ₦300 million payment made by the state was a "gift", unrelated to hosting rights for the NBA AGC 2025.
A statement by Hector Igbikiowubo, SSA on Media to the Sole Administrator on Tuesday said “for clarity, the Rivers State Government’s records show that the payment of ₦300 million to the NBA was made with the mutual understanding that Rivers State would host the 2025 edition of the NBA AGC.
“The Rivers State Government entered into this arrangement with the NBA in good faith, with the understanding that hosting the conference in the state would attract significant economic benefits to our state, positively and directly impact the businesses of our people”.
The statement said that “NBA's unilateral decision to relocate the AGC 2025 against our mutual understanding and subsequent decision to withhold the ₦300 million paid for the purpose of hosting the NBA AGC 2025 in Rivers State is unethical and amounts to a breach of trust”.
It noted that “failure of the NBA to immediately refund the ₦300 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”.
The state government however reaffirmed its willingness to engage in partnerships with all professional bodies, including the NBA, “but we will not accommodate exploitation of our people and the Rivers State Government”.
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