We Won’t Refund N300 Million Paid By Rivers Govt – NBA.
From Our Correspondent.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has firmly stated that it will not refund the ₦300 million that was contributed by former Governor Siminalayi Fubara for the purpose of hosting its 2025 Annual General Conference in Rivers State.
This announcement follows a demand for the refund made by Rivers State’s Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd), after the NBA decided to cancel the event in the state.
The cancellation was made in protest against President Bola Tinubu’s suspension of Fubara and the subsequent appointment of Ibas.
In a report released following the NBA’s National Executive Council Meeting in Ilorin, the organization emphasized that Fubara’s donation was not designed to secure hosting rights for the now-canceled conference.
NBA President Afam Osigwe articulated the association’s stance, indicating that they cannot condone what they deem an unconstitutional action by the President by proceeding with the conference in Port Harcourt.
“Consultation with our National Executive Committee revealed that a significant majority of our legal colleagues expressed a desire to relocate the conference from Rivers State to an alternative venue,” Osigwe stated.
The report also noted that holding the conference in a state governed by a Sole Administrator, rather than an elected official, was seen as inappropriate.
The NBA firmly believes that the suspension of a democratically elected government and the appointment of an Administrator is unconstitutional, which prohibits them from seeking logistical support from the current administrator.
Furthermore, the report clarified that there is no basis for the request to refund the ₦300 million support from Governor Fubara, stating, “The decision to consider hosting the 2025 Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt is considered unjustifiable due to the ongoing protests and sentiments of the legal community. We cannot, in good conscience, pursue a refund for the financial support received as it would lend legitimacy to the unconstitutional declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.”
As a result of this principled position, the NBA has announced that the 2025 Annual General Conference will be relocated to Enugu, known as the coal city.
