By Kolawole Ojebisi
The Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA), has responded to a claim by the Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, that the state paid a hosting fee of N300m to the association.
This is as the national body of lawyers stressed that the N300 million it received from the Rivers State Government was a non-refundable donation, not a payment for hosting rights to its Annual General Conference.
The NBA made the response, following the oil-rich state’s request for a refund of the ₦300 million.
In a statement by its AGC 2025 Planning Committee Chair Emeka Obegolu, SAN, the NBA said: “The attention of the Annual General Conference planning committee has been drawn to a statement credited to the Administrator of Rivers State to the effect that Rivers State Government paid hosting rights for the hosting of the NBA AGC 2025.
“We wish to clarify that the decision to host the 2025 AGC in Portharcourt was taken in August 2024 and was not subject to any bidding process or payment of any hosting rights.
“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 organisations, agencies of government and state governments for support and the support requested is unconditional and not tied to hosting rights or any rights whatsoever.”
Recall that the NBA had earlier relocated the forthcoming conference to Enugu State following the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers.
