Rivers Govt demands N300m refund from NBA over conference relocation

Vice Admiral Ibok-Etteh Ibas (retired), the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, has called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to refund N300 million following the association’s decision to relocate its 2025 Annual General Conference from Port Harcourt to Enugu.

In response, the NBA clarified that the initial decision to host the conference in Port Harcourt was made in August 2024 without any formal bidding process or payment for hosting rights.

Emeka Obegolu (SAN), Chair of the Annual General Conference 2025 Planning Committee, stressed in a statement that recent NBA conferences have been largely supported through donations, partnerships, and sponsorships.

Obegolu also stated that the Rivers State contribution was categorised as a gift and not a transactional payment tied to hosting rights.

The NBA had announced the venue change on April 10, citing the collapse of democratic structures in Rivers State as the reason for the relocation.