NBA kicks as Rivers govt queries Port Harcourt branch chair

The frosty relationship between the Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice-Admiral lbok Ibas (retd) and the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) has taken a new dimension following a query issued by the government to the Port Harcourt branch chairperson of NBA, Cordelia Eke.

It was gathered that the query was a direct response by the government to the recent statement of NBA, which Eke was among the eight signatories, condemning the actions of Ibas in Rivers.

The query issued to Eke was reportedly signed by the Director of Administration in the Rivers State Ministry of Justice, Ebiriemg Deresima, on behalf of the Solicitor-General & Permanent Secretary in the ministry.

The query had threatened full disciplinary actions against the NBA Chairperson, which might include dismissal from the civil service.

But the chairmen of the eight NBA branches in Rivers condemned the query, which accused Eke of “serious misconduct” and that her actions violated public service rules.

The eight branches of NBA in Rivers in another joint statement described the allegations as a plot to cow Eke and stifle dissenting voices among legal professionals in the state.

The chairmen said Eke did not issue the controversial communique in her capacity as a civil servant, but rather as the elected chairman of the Port Harcourt Branch, in line with her constitutional mandate within the NBA.

They said the first statement, which Eke co-signed, was issued after formal deliberations within the association reflecting the position of all NBA branches in Rivers on happenings in the state.

The NBA chairmen said their views were in line with the position of the NBA at the national level as articulated by the Association’s President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN.

They alleged that the query was part of efforts by the Sole Administrator to suppress free speech and dismantle democratic norms under the guise of maintaining peace.

They harped on their duty to uphold the rule of law and vowed not to be silenced in the face of intimidation.

NBA said: “The query to our brother Chairman is nothing but a ploy by which the Sole Administrator seeks to intimidate her into discontinuing her functions and duties as Chairman of NBA Port Harcourt Branch, and an attempt to intimidate lawyers in Rivers State and by extension other good people of Rivers State from standing up and speaking against executive rascality and impunity.

“It must be noted that the main objective of the Nigerian Bar Association is the promotion of the rule of law thus, as watchdog of the society, it is our duty to speak truth to authority on behalf of lawyers and the general public and cannot be intimidated to shy aware from this sacred responsibility.

“Consequently, we, the Chairmen of NBA Branches in Rivers State, condemn in its entirety the query issued to our Brother Chairman of NBA Port Harcourt Branch and demand an immediate withdrawal of the same.

“We consider the issuance of this query to our brother Chairman as an unfortunate act the Sole Administrator has decided to use to suppress freedom of speech and constitutional rights of the good people of Rivers State against his various incidences of dismantling of peaceful democratic institutions already in existence in Rivers State and other acts and actions capable of causing breach of peace instead of maintaining the peace which was the primary claim for his appointment as Sole Administrator in Rivers State. We condemn in its entirety the query issued to our colleague and demand its immediate withdrawal”.

The statement was signed by Dr. Hilda Desmond-Ihekaire, Chairman, Ahoada Branch; Simple Dioha, Esq., Chairman, Isiokpo Branch; Abiye Abo, Chairman, Degema Branch; Dr. N. A. Duson, Chairman, Bori Branch; and Dr. Celestine Nwankwo, Chairman, Okehi Branch.