Chairmen of the eight branches of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Rivers State have strongly condemned a recent query issued to the Port Harcourt Branch chairman of NBA, Cordelia Eke, by the Administrator of the State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), through the State’s Ministry of Justice.
The query which was signed by the Director of Administration in the Ministry of Justice, Ebiriemg Deresima, and dated April 25, accused Eke of “serious misconduct,” alleging she co-authored a communique criticising the Ibas for “severe and brazen acts of lawlessness and impunity” and for actions deemed unconstitutional, including the dismantling of democratic institutions and attacks on peaceful protesters in the State.
The sole administrator claimed Eke’s actions violated the Public Service Rules and were unbecoming of a civil servant.
But, in a joint press statement issued in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, the NBA branch chairmen described the allegations against one of them as an attempt to intimidate her and stifle dissenting voices among legal professionals in the State.
They clarified that Mrs 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 of NBA, in line with her constitutional mandate within the NBA.
The NBA chairmen argued that their collective statements — including the one referenced from April 9 — were issued following formal deliberations within the association and reflected the position of all NBA branches in the State.
They also noted that their views aligned with those of the NBA at the national level, as articulated by the Association’s President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN.
The NBA chairmen further criticised the query as part of a broader effort by the Sole Administrator to suppress free speech and dismantle democratic norms under the guise of maintaining peace. They asserted their duty to uphold the rule of law and vowed not to be silenced in the face of intimidation.
“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,” they said.
“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 NBA chairmen added.
The press statement was signed by Dr. Hilda Desmond-Ihekaire, Chairman, Ahoada Branch; Simple Dioha, Esq., Chairman, Isiokpo Branch; Abiye Abo, Esq., Chairman, Degema Branch; Dr. N. A. Duson, Chairman, Bori Branch, and Dr. Celestine Nwankwo, Chairman, Okehi Branch.
They reaffirmed their commitment to resist any harassment or persecution targeting NBA leadership, lawyers, or the wider public in Rivers State.
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