The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has described the N300 million received from the Rivers State government as a gift, not payment for hosting rights for its 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC).
This clarification was made in a statement on Monday, April 14, by Emeka Obegolu, chairman of the AGC planning committee, amid rising controversy following the NBA’s decision to move the conference from Port Harcourt to Enugu.
The Rivers State government, under the leadership of Sole Administrator Ibok-Ete Ibas, had demanded a refund of the money, alleging that it was paid for the rights to host the conference. The government said the NBA should return the funds if it truly upholds the principles it publicly espouses. The demand followed the NBA’s relocation of the AGC, which was initially scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt, citing constitutional violations in Rivers State after the declaration of emergency rule by President Bola Tinubu in March.
Responding to the government’s claims, the NBA maintained that no financial transaction was involved in selecting Rivers State as the host city and rejected the suggestion that the money was paid for any such rights. “We wish to clarify that the decision to host the 2025 AGC in Port Harcourt was taken in August 2024 and was not subject of any bidding process or payment of any hosting rights,” the statement reads.
“The host city has no hosting right and there is no representation by the NBA that the Conference must be held in a chosen city. Traditionally, because of the enormous cost involved in hosting the AGC, NBA Conference Planning Committee approaches organizations, agencies of government and state governments for support and the support requested for is unconditional and not tied to hosting rights or any rights whatsoever,” the NBA added.
The association further explained that past conferences had been supported by various state governments and organizations as part of corporate social responsibility efforts. “Recent NBA conferences have been supported by different state governments, corporate organizations, ministries, departments and agencies whose budgets accommodate corporate social responsibilities and share the same vision with NBA,” the statement continued.
“Such financial supports are in the form of gifts, partnerships or sponsorships. The money from Rivers State was a gift and was not tied to any purported hosting right for the NBA AGC.”