A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Solomon Bob, has come down hard on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) over its justification of the N300 million it received from the Rivers State Government, describing the association’s stance as “untenable, dishonest, and unbecoming of a body that claims to be the conscience of the legal profession.”
Bob, who represents Akuku-Toru/Asari-Toru Federal Constituency, insisted that the NBA must return the funds to the coffers of the state, accusing the body of compromising its credibility by aligning with the embattled and now-suspended Governor of Rivers, Siminalayi Fubara. He decried what he termed as the NBA’s “hypocritical grandstanding” in recent developments surrounding the political crisis in the state.
The NBA has come under fire following its strong opposition to the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on March 18, 2025. In what appeared to be a protest against the federal government’s intervention, the association subsequently announced the relocation of its annual general conference from Port Harcourt to Enugu, citing prevailing instability in the state.
However, the controversy deepened when the Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), disclosed that the NBA had earlier received a sum of N300 million from the state government to support the hosting of the now-relocated conference. The administrator demanded a refund of the amount, stating that public funds must be accounted for in line with due process.
Hon. Bob echoed this call, declaring that the NBA cannot morally or legally retain the funds after reneging on the initial hosting agreement. In a statement released on Thursday, the federal lawmaker accused the association of playing double standards and displaying what he termed as “misguided praetorian pretensions.”
“The NBA’s refusal to return the N300 million is an affront to decency and an insult to public accountability,” Bob stated. “The money must be returned to the people of Rivers State without further delay. If the association fails to do so, relevant authorities must move swiftly to recover it through legal means.”
He further slammed the NBA for what he described as a sudden and selective moral outrage, noting that the association remained silent throughout Fubara’s tenure despite glaring constitutional breaches and administrative recklessness allegedly witnessed under his leadership.
According to Bob, the NBA’s recent interventions are more about defending a compromised interest than upholding the rule of law. He accused the body of shifting attention from real issues and instead engaging in distractions that serve no meaningful purpose in resolving the ongoing crisis.
“The NBA was conveniently mute when the very foundations of lawful governance were being trampled in Rivers. Now, they want to claim the moral high ground while sitting on public funds meant for a purpose they ultimately abandoned,” he added.
The lawmaker’s remarks have further fuelled the debate over the NBA’s role in the unfolding political drama in Rivers State, with many observers questioning the transparency of the association’s dealings and its responsibility in ensuring ethical conduct both within and outside the legal profession.
