The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has clarified that the N300m it received from the Rivers State Government was a gift and not tied to any purported hosting right for its Annual General Conference.
The clarification followed a statement credited to the Administrator of Rivers State claiming that the state government paid for the hosting of the NBA 2025 Conference which was initially fixed to be held in the state capital.
A statement by the Chairman of the 2025 NBA Conference Planning Committee, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Emeka Obegolu, clarified that the decision to host the conference in Port Harcourt was taken in August 2024 and was not subject to any bidding process or payment of any hosting rights.
The statement further said that because of the enormous cost involved in hosting the NBA Conference, the Planning Committee usually approaches organisations, agencies, and state governments for support, stressing that the support requested was unconditional and not tied to hosting rights or any rights whatsoever.
Read the full statement below:
“The attention of the Annual General Conference planning committee has been drawn to a statement credited to the Administrator of Rivers state to the effect that Rivers state government paid hosting rights for the hosting of the NBA AGC 2025.
“We wish to clarify that the decision to host the 2025 AGC in Port Harcourt was taken in August 2024 and was not subject of any bidding process or payment of any hosting rights.
“The host city has no hosting right and there is no representation by the NBA that the Conference must be held in a chosen city.
“Traditionally, because of the enormous cost involved in hosting the AGC, NBA Conference Planning Committee approaches organisations, agencies of government and state governments for support and the support requested for is unconditional and not tied to hosting rights or any rights whatsoever.
“Recent NBA conferences have been supported by different state governments, corporate organisations, ministries, departments and agencies whose budgets accommodate corporate social responsibilities and share the same vision with NBA.
“Such financial supports are in the form of gifts, partnerships or sponsorships. The money from Rivers State was a gift and was not tied to any purported hosting right for the NBA AGC.
“We are committed to delivering a world class conference to members of the Bar and will not be drawn into any unnecessary controversy over this issue.”
