BREAKING: Rivers Govt Takes Action on NBA Over N300m Gift From Fubara
The sole administrator in Rivers state has insisted that the N300 million paid to the Nigerian Bar Association (NB) by the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara was for the hosting rights of the 2025 annual general conference (AGC).
Ibok-Ete Ibas’ leadership in the oil-rich state rejected the claim of the legal body that the payment was a “gift” and threatened to take legal action against the sole administrator. The NBA had claimed that it did not collect a hosting fee of N300 million from the administration of suspended Governor Fubara.
According to The Cable, the Rivers state government’s comment was a reaction to the NBA’s response to its earlier claim that the legal body collected hosting fees from Fubara’s administration
In a statement on Monday, April 14, by Emeka Obeogolu, the chairman of the AGC, maintained that the NBA did not sell hosting rights for the conference, adding that the N300 million from Fubara was a “gift”.
Rivers accused NBA of collecting N300m
Earlier, Ibok-Ete Ibas-led sole administration leadership in Rivers state asked the legal body to refund the N300 million which was allegedly paid as “hosting rights” to the association by the administration of Governor Fubara.
The Rivers government made the comment while questioning the principles of the NBA. The government said the legal body should demonstrate its principle by returning the money.
Ibas’ administration’s decision followed the move by the NBA to hold the AGC in Enugu, an event which was initially planned to hold in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.
NBA speaks on collecting N300m from Fubara
According to the NBA, the decision to change the venue was premised on the alleged “constitutional violations” in Rivers following President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in the state in March.
The association claimed that the N300 million collected from the suspended Governor Fubara’s government was not tied to the conference hosting right. The NBA explained that there was no bidding process or payment before they announced Rivers as the venue for the conference.
The union explained that the legal body approached individuals and state governments for “unconditional” support as a result of the high cost needed in organising the conference.
