NBA chairpersons in Rivers speak on conference relocation to Enugu

Chairpersons of all eight branches of the Nigerian Bar Association in Rivers State have blamed the Rivers Sole Administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas, for the relocation of the NBA 2025 Annual General Conference from the state to Enugu State by its national body.

The NBA national leadership moved the conference, which was earlier scheduled for Port Harcourt, to Enugu in Enugu state in protest against the state of emergency in the oil-rich state.

The group described the emergency rule as a violation of the Nigerian Constitution, adding that the president lacks the power to remove elected officials from office.

President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers last month and suspended all elected officials, including Governor Siminalayi Fubara. He appointed Mr Ibas, a retired chief of naval staff, as the sole administrator for the oil-rich state for six months.

In moving the conference to Enugu, the NBA national leadership said Mr Ibas was running the state as though it were under military rule. It stated that hosting the conference in Port Harcourt would amount to endorsing the “illegality.”

In his response, Mr Ibas asked the NBA to refund the N300 million the Rivers government paid the association for the conference “hosting rights” and threatened to take legal action against the association.

Rivers NBA chairpersons blame Ibas for relocation of conference

In a statement dated 15 April and jointly signed by the chairpersons of the eight branches, the NBA in Rivers said the relocation is the cumulative effect of the actions of Mr Ibas.

“The actions of the sole administrator have become one of the reasons for the unfortunate relocation of the venue of the Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association from Rivers State to Enugu State, leading to an immeasurable colossal loss to businesses in Rivers State especially in the hospitality industry, and loss of job opportunity for the period.

“The conference was expected to cater for 30,000 lawyers, thereby boosting the economy of the state, but has now been sadly impacted by the fallout of the declared state of emergency,” the chairpersons said.

Ibas actions

The NBA chairpersons in Rivers said it has observed with “shock and dismay” that instead of the peace-building promised by the president, Mr Ibas was engaging in actions that escalate tension in the state.

They said the administrator was operating with impunity and flagrant disregard for judicial pronouncements.

“Political appointments are being made by the sole administrator without approval being sought from the National Assembly or any known legal institution for that matter,” the group said, adding that it has become clear that the leadership of the state has been hijacked to serve a specific interest, in disregard of the people of the state.

The chairpersons said Mr Ibas was appointed to restore peace, secure lives and property, and not dismantle already established democratic institutions of the state, including boards and agencies.

They argued that the appointments made to replace the sacked officials do not follow laid-down procedures.

“The mandate of the administrator does not extend to preparation and presentation of budget especially for infrastructural development and appointment of administrators for the 23 Local Government Areas,” the chairpersons said, stressing that the action further violates the constitution and the Supreme Court judgement that local governments cannot be run by appointees but elected officials only.

The group described as “baffling” the release of allocation to the sole administrator against the Supreme Court judgement and without a proper budget signed into law, suggesting that the federal government was now committing the same offence it accused the suspended governor of.

“The cumulative effects of the actions of the sole administrator are clearly at variance with the rule of law and are capable of causing a breakdown of law and order in Rivers State as tension escalates, uncertainty pervades the air, members of the society are compelled to react to the situation and voice their displeasures.”

The NBA chairpersons condemned the “indiscriminate” dissolution of government agencies and the appointment of a replacement by the sole administrator.

They further called on Mr Ibas to desist from political actions that would further escalate tensions in the state, adding that the administrator is expected to be apolitical and not to conduct himself as a “stooge” to any of the parties in the imbroglio.

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The chairpersons urged the peace and reconciliation committee of the National Assembly to begin work to forestall further economic loss to the state.

Mr Ibas had defended the appointment of the sole administrator for local government areas in the state, saying they are to assist him in delivering governance at the grassroots level.

Other reactions to Rivers emergency rule, Ibas actions

Many Nigerians, including a human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, the Founder of the Albinism Foundation, Jake Epelle and the former governor of the state, Ada George, have criticised President Tinubu for declaring emergency rule in Rivers and removing elected officials.

Mr Epelle said Mr Tinubu may have removed Governor Fubara under the pretext of suspension. He said Mr Ibas’ actions, including the dissolution of government agencies and the appointment of local government administrators, justified his belief. He said Mr Ibas was sent to make regulations, and not appointments.

On his part, Mr George said the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, masterminded the emergency rule in the state because Governor Fubara refused to do his bidding.

The former governor also described as unconstitutional the appointment of sole administrators for local government councils by Mr Ibas and vowed to challenge it in court.

Mr Wike, in his reaction to Mr George’s allegation, said the former governor was talking like “children who lost their most prized toys.”

Rivers State has been enmeshed in political and legal tussles caused by the protracted feud between Messrs Fubara and Wike.

While the legal tussles were laid to rest by the Supreme Court judgement that restored Mr Wike’s allies in Rivers House of Assembly, stopped federal allocations to the state and invalidated last year’s local elections, the political crisis rages on, prompting Mr Tinubu to declare emergency rule.

Mr Tinubu also cited an attack on the Trans-Niger oil pipeline that transports crude from Bayelsa and Rivers State to the international terminal as a reason for declaring the emergency rule in Rivers.