By Bulola Kayode
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has responded to the Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.) demand for a refund of the N300 million that was paid to the association as hosting rights,
In a statement issued on Monday on behalf of the NBA. Emeka Obegolu, chairman of the AGC planning committee, said the association did not sell the hosting rights for the conference.
According to the association, it seeks unconditional support from individuals and state governments to defray costs.
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The statement read in part: “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 statement reads.
“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 organizations, 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 organizations, 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.”
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