Adegboruwa asks NBA to refund Rivers’ N300m, says lawyers’ fees sufficient for conference

Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has asked the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to return the N300 million collected from the Rivers state government for its annual general conference (AGC).

BACKGROUND

Last Friday, the NBA moved its 2025 AGC from Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers, to Enugu.

The association premised its decision on “constitutional violations” in Rivers following the emergency rule in the oil-rich state.

Responding to the NBA’s decision, the state government, under the leadership of Ibok-Ete Ibas, the sole administrator, asked the association to refund the N300 million paid for the hosting rights of the 2025 conference.

The state government said if the NBA is truly anchored on principles, it should demonstrate it by returning the fund.

Countering the state government, the NBA said the money it received was a “gift” and not payment for the conference’s hosting rights.

The legal association said it did not sell the hosting rights for the conference.

The Rivers state government has threatened legal action if the money is not refunded.

‘PAY MONEY INTO CBN’

Weighing in on the subject on Wednesday, Adegboruwa said the NBA has no basis for retaining the “gift” from Rivers state.

“All lawyers in Nigeria pay their practising fees annually. Money is also charged for lawyers who wish to attend the conference, such that there is no basis for NBA going cap in hand to beg for money to host a conference of lawyers,” he said. 

“Lawyers are the conscience of the society, who are expected to champion the rule of law.

“Such an organization should not be seen to be romancing with any government socially in the face of suffering by the masses of our people due to wicked economic policies and human rights abuses by the government. After all, he who pays the piper dictates the tune.

“We have no basis retaining the ‘gift’ from Rivers State, so NBA should refund the money immediately. We should not hide under any semantics or bureaucracy to retain the money.

“It should be paid into an escrow account with the Central Bank of Nigeria pending the restoration of democracy in Rivers state. NBA is not a bank.”

The senior advocate said if the money has been spent, senior lawyers should come together “to contribute N1 million each in order to raise the money”.

“Going forward, NBA should thread cautiously in raising funds from all manner of persons and institutions. Lawyers in Nigeria are well endowed to fund any programme for the NBA,” he added.