15th April 2025, NewsOrient, News, Law And Society, Governance And Development
Photo Caption:
The Administrator of Rivers State, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas. Credit: Channels Television

Following Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)’s decision to move it’s 2025 Annual Conference from Port Harcourt in Rivers State to Enugu in Enugu State, a donation of N300millon earlier made by Rivers State to NBA has become the cause of a raging controversy.

NBA had said the decision to change Port Harcourt venue was part of it’s response to the declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State and removal of a democratically elected governor and legislature in the oil rich State.

Reacting to NBA’s decision not to host the 2025 Conference in Rivers State any longer, Rivers State Government under the leadership of the Sole Administrator, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, has pointedly asked NBA to refund the N300million donation the state made to NBA, stating that it was a ‘hosting fee.”

But NBA has countered this demand, stating that the said N300million donation was not a ‘hosting fee,’ but an ‘unconditional and non refundable gift to NBA.”

Chairman of NBA’s 2025 Conference Planning Committee, Emeka Obegolu (SAN), stated in a statement that “the ₦300 million was not a payment for hosting rights but an unconditional gift to support the event.”

He added: “The decision to hold the 2025 conference in Port Harcourt was made in August 2024 and was not based on any financial contribution from the Rivers State Government.”

Today, opinion is sharply divided in Nigeria over this matter. While some are calling on NBA to refund the ₦300m to Rivers “to protect legal profession’s image,” others say Rivers State Government cannot request refund of a freewill, non refundable gift it gave an organization just because the same organization decided to move the venue of it’s conference from the State to another State.

~ Published By NewsOrient Network

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