NBA clears air on N300m from Rivers Govt, says ‘It was a gift’, not payment for hosting rights

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has responded to the controversy surrounding the N300 million it received from the Rivers State Government, stating that the money was a gift and not a fee for hosting its 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC).

The NBA had earlier relocated the upcoming conference to Enugu State after a state of emergency was declared in Rivers. Following this change, the Rivers State Government requested a refund of the N300 million, claiming it was payment for hosting rights.

However, in a statement issued by the Chairman of the NBA AGC 2025 Planning Committee, Emeka Obegolu (SAN), the association made it clear that no payment was made for hosting rights and that no bidding process was involved in selecting Port Harcourt as the initial venue.

“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,” Obegolu said.

He clarified that the decision to host the conference in Port Harcourt was made in August 2024 without any financial commitment tied to hosting rights. He emphasized that cities do not pay for the privilege to host the conference, and there’s no requirement from NBA that ties the event to a specific location.

Obegolu added that due to the high cost of organizing the AGC, the NBA often seeks financial support from various sources including state governments, government agencies, and private organizations. These contributions are seen as support, sponsorship, or partnerships and not as fees for hosting rights.

“Such financial support is in the form of gifts, partnerships or sponsorships. The money from Rivers State was a gift and was not tied to any purported hosting right for the NBA AGC,” he stated.

He assured members of the Bar that preparations are ongoing to ensure a world-class conference and that the association will not allow itself to be distracted by unnecessary disputes.