The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Etteh Ibas (rtd), has called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to refund the N300 million already paid by the state for the hosting rights of the 2025 Annual General Conference.
This demand comes after the NBA announced the relocation of the conference from Rivers to Enugu State, citing the declaration of a state of emergency and the alleged collapse of democratic structures in Rivers as justification for the move.
Reacting to the development on Monday, Ibas acknowledged the NBA’s right to select its preferred venue but questioned the association’s silence on refunding the funds already disbursed by the state government.
“While we respect the NBA’s right to choose its conference venues, we find it curious that the association—despite its ‘principled position’—has not addressed the refund of the N300 million already paid by the Rivers State Government for the hosting rights of the 2025 conference,” he said.
Ibas stressed that the NBA cannot, on one hand, discredit the state, and on the other, retain funds allocated for a now-relocated event. “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,” he added.
The Rivers State Government has not indicated any legal steps yet but insists that justice and fairness demand a full refund.
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