A member of the House of Representatives from Rivers State, Hon. Solomon Bob, has strongly criticized the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), accusing the body of hypocrisy over its opposition to the state of emergency declared in Rivers State.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Reacting to a statement issued by the NBA on April 10, 2025, where the association condemned President Bola Tinubu’s decision, Bob described the NBA’s position as disingenuous and filled with “misguided praetorian pretensions.”

Bob defended the federal government’s intervention, stating it was necessary due to escalating threats of violence, social unrest, and sabotage of critical infrastructure in Rivers State following a long-standing political conflict between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the factional House of Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule, a known ally of FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

The lawmaker maintained that President Tinubu acted within his constitutional authority under Section 305, which empowers the President to declare a state of emergency under specific conditions. He emphasized that the NBA lacks the constitutional mandate to interpret or amend that provision.

He further accused the NBA of meddling in democratic processes while failing to uphold those values within its own internal elections. According to Bob, the association often promotes narrow regional or ethnic interests rather than the broader national interest.

Bob also chastised the NBA for not calling out Governor Fubara’s alleged misconduct and incompetence, describing the association’s silence as a betrayal of its watchdog role. He revealed that the NBA received ₦300 million from the Rivers State government to host its conference in Port Harcourt — a sum he claims was never intended to be a “gift.”

He argued that the NBA had ulterior motives in hosting the event, using it to “whitewash misgovernance” in the state. Bob insisted the funds must be returned, declaring, “The NBA’s claim that the ₦300 million was a gift is unreasonable and unbecoming of a self-proclaimed ombudsman.”

He concluded by urging the Port Harcourt authorities to take every legal measure to retrieve the funds if the NBA fails to refund the amount voluntarily, stressing that the association’s actions undermine constitutional democracy and must not go unchallenged.