{"id":28214,"date":"2025-04-17T18:40:19","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T18:40:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/28214\/"},"modified":"2025-04-17T18:40:19","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T18:40:19","slug":"ibas-attacks-nba-insists-on-n300-million-refund-to-rivers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/28214\/","title":{"rendered":"Ibas attacks NBA, insists on N300 million refund to Rivers"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Rivers State Administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas, has asked the Nigerian Bar Association<\/a><\/strong> (NBA) to immediately refund the N300 million the state government paid the association as \u201chosting rights\u201d for the NBA 2025 Annual General Conference or face legal action.<\/p>\n

\u201cFailure of the NBA to immediately refund the N300 million to the Rivers State Government will compel the implementation of all legal means to recover the property of the good people of Rivers State,\u201d Mr Ibas\u2019 spokesperson, Hector Igbikiowubo, said in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

The NBA moved its 2025 annual conference earlier scheduled for Port Harcourt to Enugu in Enugu State in protest against the declaration of a state of emergency in the oil-rich state and suspension of all elected officials, including Governor Siminalayi Fubara, by President Bola Tinubu.<\/p>\n

The president had appointed Mr Ibas, a retired chief of naval staff, as the sole administrator for the state for an initial period of six months.<\/p>\n

The NBA reiterated that Mr Ibas\u2019 appointment was illegal and that the president lacks the power<\/a><\/strong> to remove Mr Fubara from office.<\/p>\n

The association said Mr Ibas operates within a command-style approach that disregards constitutional provisions, court decisions, and pending litigations.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis actions have undermined democratic institutions and processes, flouting the rule of law with impunity. Though clad in civilian attire, he governs as though the state is under military rule,\u201d the NBA said, stressing that hosting the conference in Port Harcourt would amount to an endorsement of illegality.<\/p>\n

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In protest of the president\u2019s action, the association relocated<\/a><\/strong> the conference from Port Harcourt to Enugu, prompting a backlash from Mr Ibas.<\/p>\n

Refund Rivers N300 million hosting money \u2013 Ibas to NBA<\/strong><\/p>\n

In his reaction to the relocation of the conference, Mr Ibas had, in a statement, asked the NBA to refund N300 million paid by the Rivers State under Governor Fubara as hosting right for the conference.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile we respect the NBA\u2019s right to choose its conference venues, we find it curious that the association\u2014despite its \u2018principled position\u2019\u2014 didn\u2019t address the refund of the N300 million already paid by the Rivers State Government for the hosting rights of the 2025 conference,\u201d Mr Ibas had said.<\/p>\n

In reaction, the NBA said it could not refund<\/a><\/strong> the money because it was a \u201cgift\u201d for the association for its 2025 annual conference.<\/p>\n

The NBA said the decision to host the conference in Port Harcourt was taken in 2024 and was not subject to bidding or payment of hosting rights.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe host city has no hosting right and there is no representation by the NBA that the conference must be held in a chosen city,\u201d the association said, arguing that due to the enormous cost of hosting the event, it usually seeks financial support in form of gifts, partnerships, and sponsorships from government agencies and corporate organisations.<\/p>\n

Ibas rejects NBA\u2019s explanation<\/strong><\/p>\n

In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Ibas rejected the NBA\u2019s explanation on the matter.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Rivers State Government outrightly rejects the NBA\u2019s recent allegation that the N300 million payment made by the state was a \u201cgift\u201d, unrelated to hosting rights for the NBA AGC 2025.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor clarity, the Rivers State Government\u2019s records show that the payment of N300 million to the NBA was made with the mutual understanding that Rivers State would host the 2025 edition of the NBA AGC,\u201d Mr Ibas said.<\/p>\n

Mr Ibas said the arrangement with the NBA was reached with the understanding that hosting the conference would attract economic benefits to the state and described the NBA\u2019s unilateral relocation of the conference and withholding of the N300 million paid for the hosting rights as \u201cunethical and amounts to a breach of trust.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr Ibas asked the NBA to refund the money immediately else the state government will take legal action to recover it.<\/p>\n

When contacted, Afam Osigwe, the NBA president, said \u201cWe have noted their threat (to go to court),\u201d he said and declined further comments.<\/p>\n

Mr Ibas has come under criticism over his actions in Rivers State, particularly, appointing sole administrators for local government councils in the state.<\/p>\n

\nREAD ALSO:\u00a0Rivers: How Tinubu erred in declaring state of emergency, suspending Fubara \u2013 Lawyers<\/a><\/strong>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The former governor of the state, Ada George, has described the appointment as \u201cillegal\u201d and vowed to challenge it in court.<\/p>\n

Similarly, Jake Epelle, the founder of the Albinism Foundation, has also criticised Mr Ibas, describing his appointment as sole administrator as \u201cillegal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr Ibas was sent to make regulations not appointments,\u201d Mr Epelle said, adding that Mr Ibas\u2019 actions have caused him to believe that the president may have removed Mr Fubara under the pretext of suspension.<\/p>\n

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