Rivers Threatens Court Action against NBA over N300m ‘Gift’

lessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas-led  Rivers State Government has threatened court action to recover the N300 million allegedly gifted to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

In a statement by the Senior Special Adviser (SSA) on Media to Ibas, Hector Igbikiowubo,  the state government said it was not true that the amount was a donation, but an understanding to make Port Harcourt the host state for the association’s annual event .          

The state said it has noted the statement by the NBA on the relocation of the 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC) from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to Enugu State, but rejected the  explanation that the payment made by the state was a “gift”, unrelated to hosting rights for the NBA event.

“For clarity, the Rivers state government’s 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.

“The Rivers state government entered into this arrangement with the NBA in good faith, with the understanding that hosting the conference in the state would attract significant economic benefits to our state, positively and directly impact the businesses of our people.

“The NBA’s unilateral decision to relocate the AGC 2025 against our mutual understanding and subsequent decision to withhold the N300 million paid for the purpose of hosting the NBA AGC 2025 in Rivers state is unethical and amounts to a breach of trust,” the statement added.

The statement said failure of the NBA to immediately refund the N300 million to the Rivers state government would compel the implementation of all legal means to recover the property of the  people of the state.

“We reaffirm our willingness to engage in partnerships with all professional bodies, including the NBA, but we will not accommodate exploitation of our people and the Rivers state government,” the government stressed.