Rivers goment threaten to sue Nigeria law body over 300 million naira 'gift'

Rivers State goment say dem go use all legal means wey dey available to make sure say dem collect di 300 million naira ($186,000) wey dem pay to di Nigeria Bar Association (NBA).

Di money according to di Rivers State goment wey Sole Administrator Ibok-Ete-Ibas dey lead, na to host di 2025 Nigeria Bar Association Annual General Conference.

But di NBA for statement on Monday tok say di money na gift wey suspended govnor Siminialayi Fubara give dem to support di conference. For statement NBA clear di air say di money no be for hosting rights.

Dis tok don make Rivers State goment para as dem tok say dem no go let di money go like dat and NBA must return di money.

For statement wey Hector Igbikiowubo, Senior Special Assistant, Media to di Rivers State Goment sign, dem tok say "Failure of di NBA to immediately refund di 300 million naira to di Rivers State Goment, go force us to use all legal means to recover di property of di good pip of Rivers State."

According to di statement, di Rivers State goment dey ready to engage in partnerships wit all professional bodies, including di NBA, but Rivers State goment no go accommodate exploitation of Rivers pipo and di state goment.

Earlier, Rivers State goment bin jejely tell di Nigerian Bar Association NBA refund di 300 million naira ($186,000) wey dem pay for hosting rights as dem shift dia annual conference from Port Harcourt to Enugu.

On Friday 10 April, 2025, di umbrella body for lawyers for Nigeria, di NBA announce say dem don shift dia annual conference wey for hold for Port Harcourt to Enugu sake of di "suspension of democratically elected state officials by di President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Goment.

Di NBA statement wey di President, Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN); General Secretary, Dr Mobolaji Ojibara and Chairman of di Annual General Conference AGC Planning Committee, Emeka Obegolu (SAN) follow sign, say: "di NBA no fit, in good conscience, proceed wit di AGC for a state wey dey governed unconstitutionally by a Sole Administrator."

Dis statement by di NBA cause plenty reaction as pipo lament di loss of business opportunities wey dis shift of di NBA conference dey cost to businesses for di State.

But di Rivers State goment say even though di NBA get right to determine di venue of dia events, dem no gree wit di reasons dem give for dia decision - particularly di insinuation say di Sole Administrator actions dey undermine democracy and di rule of law, as dat wan no dey fair.

Di reason for di state of emergency

Di Rivers State Goment explain say di NBA dey overlook di constitutional basis of di current administration as state of emergency na a necessary response to check a breakdown of public order and democratic processes.

E say President Bola Tinubu, as e exercise im constitutional authority, act in di best interest of di state to restore stability. So di Sole Administrator mandate dey clear: to oversee a transitional period wey go ensure di return of full democratic governance in line with di Constitution.

"To suggest say dis intervention "dey flout di rule of law" no only dey incorrect but e dey ignore di Supreme Court rulings wey validate key decisions wey e don make during dis period.”

E refer di association to di landmark judgment of di Supreme Court in Suit No. SC/CV/1176/2024 (Rivers State House of Assembly & Oda vs. Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) & Nine Odas), wia di apex court rule say any local goment election wey dey conducted in violation of di Electoral Act dey "unconstitutional, null, and void.”

Di statement say di Sole Administrator don stand by im commitment to:

- Restore democratic institutions as soon as e dey practicable.

- Uphold di constitutional rights of all residents, including freedom of movement, speech, and association.

- Respect judicial pronouncements, including those of di Supreme Court, wey dey guided di administration actions.

E add say di NBA, as a body of legal minds, suppose know better than to reduce a complex constitutional matter to political sensationalism.

‘We dey committed to democracy’

Di Rivers State Goment add say e dey wonda say di NBA, despite dia "principled position"— no address di refund of di N300 million wey di goment don already pay for di hosting rights of di 2025 conference.

"If di NBA truly stand on principle, make dem demonstrate di same integrity by promptly returning dis funds rather than benefiting from a state wey dem dey publicly discredit."

Di statement come appeal for constructive engagement as Rivers State dey pass through a challenging but necessary phase for dia democratic journey.

"So instead of contributing to unnecessary tension, we expect di NBA - as a critical stakeholder for Nigeria democracy - to engage constructively, offer solutions instead of amplifying divisive narratives, as di Sole Administrator dey focused on im mandate to stabilize the state and facilitate a smooth return to full constitutional governance.” e tok.

'Di money from Rivers State na gift' - NBA

Di Nigeria Bar Association through di Annual General Conference planning committee reply di Sole Administrator of Rivers State say na since August 2024 dem make di decision to host di 2025 AGC for Port Harcourt.

Chairman of di 2025 NBA AGC Planning Committee, Emeka Obegolu SAN tok for statement say di place wia dem go host am no dey subject to any bidding process.

"Di host city no get hosting right and no representation by di NBA wey tok say dem must host di Conference for a particular city."

For di statement, im explain say, sake of di high cost wey dey involved to host di NBA Conference evri year, na dia tradition to approach organizations, agencies of goment and state goments for support.

"Di support wey we dey ask for dey unconditional and e no dey tied to hosting rights or any rights at all."

"Such financial supports dey in form of gifts, partnerships or sponsorships. Di money from Rivers State na gift and e no dey tied to any purported hosting right for di NBA AGC.