NBA Relocates 2025 Annual Conference From Port Harcourt To Enugu Over Emergency Rule

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has officially announced the relocation of its 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC) from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to Enugu, citing constitutional violations and a deteriorating democratic atmosphere in Rivers as the driving factors behind the decision.

The announcement was made late Thursday in a joint statement signed by the NBA President, Afam Osigwe (SAN), General Secretary, Mobolaji Ojibara, and the Chairman of the Annual General Conference Planning Committee (AGCPC), Emeka Obegolu (SAN).

According to the statement, the initial excitement surrounding Port Harcourt as the host city, evident in the early spike in conference registrations, was cut short by the Federal Government’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025.

The NBA expressed deep concerns over the appointment of Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (retd.) as the sole administrator of the state, describing his governing style as authoritarian and dismissive of democratic norms.

The NBA said, “Currently, Rivers State is being governed by a retired military officer… who operates with a command-style approach that disregards constitutional provisions, court decisions, and pending litigation. Though clad in civilian attire, he governs as though the state is under military rule.”

The statement further criticized the Federal Government’s decision to suspend Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, noting that the move “undermines democratic institutions and processes.”

The NBA’s National Executive Council (NEC), after an emergency session held on March 27, unanimously resolved that the association could not proceed with its flagship event in a state governed unconstitutionally.

“The NEC reaffirmed that the state of emergency declared in Rivers State violates Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution.

It also condemned the National Assembly’s ratification of the emergency proclamation via a voice vote, rather than the constitutionally mandated two-thirds majority, describing it as a grave constitutional subversion,” the statement added.

In response to growing pressure from its members and after consultations with NBA branch leaders in Rivers State, the association resolved to relocate the conference to a location that aligns with its commitment to upholding the rule of law.

“We are pleased to announce that the 2025 Annual General Conference will now be held in the historic Coal City of Enugu,” the NBA stated, assuring members that the city has the infrastructure and capacity to host an event of such magnitude.

The association emphasized that the relocation is not merely logistical but symbolic — a bold statement against the erosion of democratic principles and a reaffirmation of the NBA’s role as a watchdog of constitutional governance.