The Rivers State Government has refuted the Nigerian Bar Association’s (NBA) assertion that the N300 million it received from the government was a no-strings-attached donation, unrelated to hosting its Annual General Conference in the State.
The State has therefore made threatย of potential legal proceedings and is committed to retrieving N300 million from the NBA
The government also pledged to use every legal avenue to recover the funds if the NBA does not voluntarily return the money.
According to Hector Igbikiowubo, Senior Special Assistant for Media to the Rivers State Government, official records indicate that the N300 million was allocated for hosting the NBA’s Annual General Conference in the state.
He said, โThe governmentย outrightly rejects the NBAโs recent allegation that the โฆ300million payment made by the state was a โgiftโ, unrelated to hosting rights for the NBA AGC 2025.
โFor clarity, the Rivers State Governmentโs records show that the payment of โฆ300 million to the NBA was made with the mutual understanding that Rivers State would host the 2025 edition of the NBA AGC.
โThe 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.
โThe NBAโs unilateral decision to relocate the AGC 2025 against our mutual understanding and subsequent decision to withhold the โฆ300 million paid for the purpose of hosting the NBA AGC 2025 in Rivers State is unethical and amounts to a breach of trust.
โFailure of the NBA to immediately refund the โฆ300million to the Rivers State Government, will compel the implementation of all legal means to recover the property of the good people of Rivers State.
โWe 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 Governmentโ
