Rivers’ N300 Million Payment was a gift, not hosting fee – NBA

Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Clarifies N300 Million Payment as Non-Refundable Gift

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has officially clarified that the N300 million it received from the Rivers State Government was intended as a non-refundable gift and not as payment for hosting rights to its Annual General Conference. This statement comes after the NBA recently decided to move the upcoming conference to Enugu State due to the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers.

The Rivers State Government expressed its dissatisfaction on Monday, requesting a full refund of the N300 million previously given to the NBA. In a response issued by Emeka Obegolu, SAN, Chair of the AGC 2025 Planning Committee, the NBA emphasized that the choice to host the 2025 AGC in Port Harcourt was made in August 2024. The rotation of host cities is not contingent upon any bids or payments for hosting rights.

Obegolu stated, “The host city does not hold any exclusive rights, and there was no representation from the NBA indicating that the conference must be held in a specific location.” He further explained that due to the significant costs implicated in organizing the AGC, the NBA Conference Planning Committee routinely seeks financial support from various organizations, government bodies, and state governments. He stressed that such support is unconditioned and is not linked to any hosting rights.

Traditionally, the NBA has received support from various state governments and corporate entities, aimed at fulfilling their corporate social responsibility objectives aligned with the NBA’s mission. “The N300 million from Rivers State was purely a gift and was not associated with any claimed hosting rights for the NBA AGC,” Obegolu clarified.

The NBA remains focused on delivering a top-tier conference experience for its members and is determined not to engage in unnecessary disputes regarding this issue.

In a report from Saturday, the NBA had previously criticized the actions of Rivers State’s Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), for undermining democratic processes and constitutional principles, asserting that Ibas has acted with disregard for ongoing legal matters.