The Rivers State Government is asking the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to return N300 million. The money was paid for the rights to host the NBA’s 2025 Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt.

This demand comes after the NBA decided to move the event from Rivers State to Enugu. The NBA said it made the move because of “constitutional violations” in Rivers State.

Recently, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers due to ongoing political issues. He suspended the elected governor, Siminalayi Fubara, the deputy governor, and the entire State House of Assembly for six months. In their place, Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired military officer, was appointed as the sole administrator of the state.

The NBA says Rivers is now being run by one man who is not respecting court decisions or the rule of law. Because of this, the association no longer wants to hold its 2025 conference there.

In response, the Rivers government said the NBA’s claims are politically motivated. It said the emergency actions were needed to fix the state’s problems and restore democracy. The government also defended Ibas, saying he respects the law and people’s rights.

However, the state government is upset that the NBA has not mentioned the N300 million already paid. They are asking for the money back now that the event has been moved.

They said, “If the NBA truly acts on principle, it should return the money instead of keeping funds from a state it has criticized.”

The NBA had earlier announced in August 2024 that the conference would be held in Port Harcourt.