Deji Adeyanju, a member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Citizens’ Liberties Committee, has clarified that the N300 million from the Rivers State government was not a fee for hosting rights.
This follows criticism of the NBA’s decision to relocate the 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC) from Port Harcourt to Enugu.
Adeyanju said the NBA’s choice of venue is based on infrastructure, logistics, security, and atmosphere - not money or political pressure.
In a statement on Monday, he rejected claims by the state's Sole Administrator, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), that the move was due to unmet financial obligations or an unfair denial of hosting rights.
He explained that the N300 million was contributed under a democratically elected government, but that the current administration in Rivers State is widely seen as unconstitutional.
He dismissed the idea of 'hosting rights,' stating no state has a permanent or presumed claim to host the AGC.
Adeyanju said, “The concept of hosting rights, as suggested by the Sole Administrator, has no basis in NBA tradition. There is no bidding or contractual process that grants any state the right to host the AGC.
“Venue selection is a decision of the NBA National Executive Committee, made after assessing infrastructure, logistics, security, and suitability.
“The NBA is an independent body—not a contractor. Its duty to national service and legal development is not for sale. The 2023 AGC in Abuja received no funding from the FCT. The idea that donations can buy hosting rights is harmful to the profession’s integrity.
“The N300 million was given by a legitimate administration. That is no longer the case. Rivers State is now under a governance model widely considered unconstitutional. As lawyers, we cannot endorse such a system. The NBA acted rightly by withdrawing to avoid lending legitimacy to it.
“We will not be pressured into reversing this decision. Public blackmail and misplaced outrage will not sway the Bar. Our credibility lies in standing for the Constitution, even when it's unpopular.
“This is not a rejection of Rivers people or lawyers—they remain our colleagues—but a stand against unconstitutional rule. As defenders of the law, we must not back down.”
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