
The Rivers State Government has voiced strong disapproval of the Nigerian Bar Association’s (NBA) decision to relocate its 2025 Annual General Conference from Port Harcourt to Enugu, describing the move as “misleading, uncharitable, and unbecoming.” In a statement issued on Monday by Hector Igbikiowubo, the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the State’s Sole Administrator, the government also demanded a refund of ₦300 million it had earlier paid as hosting rights.
While acknowledging the NBA’s autonomy in choosing a venue, the Rivers State Government condemned the association’s justification for the switch—particularly the suggestion that the current political structure in Rivers is an affront to democracy and the rule of law.
The statement reaffirmed the legal basis of the current administration, headed by a Sole Administrator, stressing that the President’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers was a constitutional response to a breakdown in democratic order.
“The NBA’s statement overlooks the constitutional basis for the current administration in Rivers State. The declaration of a state of emergency was a necessary response to a breakdown of public order and democratic processes,” the government stated.
It further argued that the President acted within the confines of his constitutional powers and referenced a recent Supreme Court judgment—Suit No. SC/CV/1176/2024—which declared any local government election conducted in breach of the Electoral Act as null and void.
“To suggest that this intervention flouts the rule of law is not only incorrect but ignores the Supreme Court’s rulings that have validated key decisions made during this period,” the statement added.
Describing the NBA’s rationale as reducing a complex constitutional issue to “political sensationalism,” the government expressed disappointment in what it called the association’s “selective principled stand.”
“It is regrettable that the NBA, as a body of legal minds, would reduce a complex constitutional matter to political sensationalism,” the government said.
It went on to question the association’s moral authority, pointing to the ₦300 million paid by the state for hosting the 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.”
The Rivers State Government concluded the statement by calling on the NBA and other stakeholders to rise above divisive rhetoric and join in stabilizing the state’s democratic institutions.
“The Sole Administrator remains focused on his mandate to stabilize the state and facilitate a smooth return to full constitutional governance. We urge the NBA and other well-meaning Nigerians to support this process in the interest of peace and progress.”
The NBA’s decision to relocate the conference has reignited debates over the legality of the current leadership in Rivers State and the federal government’s role in state-level democratic disruptions.
As the situation continues to unfold, observers are watching closely to see how the association will respond to the demand for a refund and the broader implications for civil society’s engagement with contested state interventions.