NBA Relocates 2025 General Conference to Enugu Over Tinubu’s State of Emergency in Rivers
In protest of President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of emergency in Rivers State, the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) has rescheduled its 2025 Annual General Conference to Enugu State.
According to reports, the NBA claimed that the National Assembly’s action, the declaration of a state of emergency, and the appointment of a single administrator were all unconstitutional.
“Holding the 2025 Annual General Conference meeting in Port Harcourt would be an endorsement of the illegalities in Rivers State,” NBA President Afam Osigwe (SAN) said in a statement on Thursday.
The NBA also charged Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), the sole administrator of Rivers State, with disobeying court orders.
It said: “There was a lot of excitement when it was announced that our Association’s 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC) would be held in Port Harcourt, the Garden City. In fact, registration numbers had skyrocketed before Rivers State declared a state of emergency on March 18, 2025, indicating how ready and excited members were to attend. However, it makes sense that the regrettable development in Rivers State has slowed down the pace and impacted the Conference’s advanced preparations.
“A retired military commander has been appointed as the sole administrator of Rivers State, and he uses a command-type management style that ignores court rulings, constitutional restrictions, and ongoing legal disputes. By disobeying the law with impunity, his actions have weakened democratic institutions and procedures. Despite wearing civilian clothes, he rules as if the state were ruled by the military.
Over time, the voices of our members became more powerful, especially those advocating for a venue change. On March 27, 2025, we called an emergency meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) and met with the chairmen of the NBA branches in Rivers State. There was broad agreement that the NBA could not ethically move forward with the AGC in a state where a sole administrator was acting in violation of the constitution.
The NEC reiterated that Rivers State’s declaration of a state of emergency is in violation of Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution. It further stated that Sections 11 and 188 of the Constitution are violated when elected politicians and democratic institutions are suspended. There has been serious constitutional subversion by the National Assembly’s alleged ratification, which was carried out by voice vote instead of the two-thirds majority necessary by the constitution. An unconstitutional declaration would not be made legitimate even if the correct process had been followed.
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Port Harcourt is no longer a viable location for the 2025 AGC in light of these undemocratic events. It would be an implicit endorsement of constitutional infractions and the erosion of the rule of law to host our premier event under such conditions.
“In compliance with the law, the NBA has adopted a principled stance: Rivers State’s appointment of a Sole Administrator is unlawful. Therefore, and in accordance with NEC’s and the membership’s majority opinion, we must move the 2025 AGC to a state that still maintains constitutional democracy.
The 2025 Annual General Conference will now take place in the historic coal city of Enugu, we are happy to inform. The city has the capacity and facilities to hold a conference of our size and importance. With coordinated efforts, we are sure that this venue change won’t jeopardize our dedication to hosting an important and successful conference.
We urge all participants and interested parties to fully support us as we set out on this new course. Through cooperation, hard work, and a common dedication to our principles, we will successfully complete this shift.
