Trending 
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has announced the relocation of its 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC) from Port Harcourt to Enugu, citing the ongoing constitutional crisis in Rivers State as the primary reason for the decision.
The announcement, delivered by NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, follows growing concerns among members and stakeholders about the legality and propriety of holding the Association’s flagship event in a state governed by a Sole Administrator under emergency rule.
“Port Harcourt, the Garden City, was initially met with widespread enthusiasm as the host of the 2025 AGC,” the NBA President stated. “Indeed, prior to the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, registration figures had soared, reflecting the excitement and eagerness of members to attend.”
However, the NBA noted that the imposition of a Sole Administrator—a retired military officer—has created a governance environment inconsistent with democratic principles. Following consultations with branch chairmen in Rivers State and an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) session on March 27, 2025, the Association resolved that proceeding with the AGC in Port Harcourt would amount to endorsing unconstitutional governance.
“The NEC reaffirmed that the state of emergency declared in Rivers State violates Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution,” Osigwe explained. “The suspension of elected officials and democratic institutions contravenes Sections 11 and 188 of the Constitution. The purported ratification by the National Assembly via a voice vote, rather than the constitutionally required two-thirds majority, amounts to grave constitutional subversion.”
In light of these concerns, the NBA declared Port Harcourt no longer a justifiable venue for the conference. “To hold our flagship event in such circumstances would amount to a tacit endorsement of constitutional violations and subversion of the rule of law,” Osigwe said.
Instead, the 2025 AGC will now take place in Enugu, the historic Coal City, which has been lauded for its infrastructure and readiness to host a conference of this magnitude and called on all members and stakeholders to support the new arrangements. “
