*Says NBA Cannot Hold Conference Where “Democracy Has Been Dictatorially Upended”
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2026-IDRI-Masterclass.png")
Port Harcourt-based legal practitioner, S. Long Williams, Esq., has criticized the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for its indecisiveness regarding the relocation of the 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC) from Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
In a strongly worded statement, Williams argued that the NBA’s failure to take a firm stand undermines its own commitment to upholding the rule of law and democracy in Nigeria.
Williams recalled that on March 18, 2025, NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, made a bold and unequivocal statement condemning President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers State and the suspension of democratic governance in the state. Osigwe described the purported removal of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly as “unconstitutional, unlawful, and a dangerous affront to our nation’s democracy.”
However, just two days later, on March 20, 2025, the Nigerian Senate and House of Representatives endorsed the president’s declaration, further approving the six-month suspension of Governor Fubara and other elected officials. The NBA, through its president, reaffirmed that the approval was unconstitutional, asserting that “the National Assembly cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stand.”
Williams noted that the NBA subsequently convened an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on March 27, 2025, with two key issues on the agenda: first, to ratify or reject the NBA President’s stance on the state of emergency in Rivers State, and second, to determine the fate of the 2025 AGC scheduled to be held in Port Harcourt.
Legal practitioners and the public eagerly anticipated a decisive outcome from the NEC meeting. Given the NBA’s stance against the suspension of democratic governance, many expected the association to relocate its AGC from Rivers State, arguing that such an event should not be held in a state where constitutional rule has been allegedly abandoned.
However, Williams lamented that the NEC’s decision left much to be desired. Instead of an outright resolution, the NBA opted to put the matter to a vote—whether to relocate the AGC or continue consultations. Williams questioned the rationale behind the vote, emphasizing that the original decision to host the AGC in Rivers State had not been subjected to a vote but was announced by the NBA President during his inaugural speech.
He asserted that the NBA President should have made an executive decision to move the AGC and then sought NEC’s ratification, rather than leaving it to an inconclusive vote. The failure to take swift action, Williams argued, has only served to weaken the NBA’s position and credibility in the face of what he described as a flagrant constitutional breach by the federal government.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Jibrin S. Okutepa, also weighed in on the matter, stating, “NBA, whose motto is ‘Promoting the Rule of Law,’ cannot align itself with a region where democratic principles have been dictatorially upended. The bedrock of democracy is the rule of law. The NBA should not be seen allowing those who murdered democracy to teleguide its conferences.”
Williams insisted that under the current circumstances, the NBA AGC must not hold in Port Harcourt. If a suitable alternative location cannot be secured, he suggested postponing the conference rather than lending legitimacy to what he described as an unconstitutional administration in Rivers State.
The outcome of the NEC vote—69 to 65 in favor of continued consultations—was, in Williams’ view, a self-inflicted wound. He likened the NBA’s indecision to Rush Limbaugh’s assertion that “people who stay in the middle of the road get run over.” The association, he argued, had effectively allowed itself to be overrun by failing to take a strong, principled stand.
Williams further pointed to remarks made by former Rivers State Governor and current FCT Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike, following the NBA’s decision. Wike reportedly mocked the NBA, stating, “The NBA is against the state of emergency because there would be no money to give them for their conference. What kind of hypocrisy is this?” Williams viewed this as a direct consequence of the NBA’s failure to take a firm decision, giving Wike the opportunity to ridicule the association.
In conclusion, Williams reiterated the position of the NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN: “You can’t put something on nothing and expect it to stand.” He maintained that since the government in Rivers State stands on nothing, the NBA cannot in good conscience hold its 2025 AGC in Port Harcourt.
[A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation
______________________________________________________________________ “Enhance Legal Practice With Authoritative Reports” — Alexander Payne Offers Comprehensive Law Reports, Spanning Over A Century Of Nigerian Jurisprudence
Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via:
0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888
Website: www.alexandernigeria.com
