The eight branches of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Rivers State have firmly rejected a query issued to the Chairman of the Port Harcourt Branch, Cordelia Eke, by the Sole Administrator of the state via the Ministry of Justice.

The query, dated April 25 and signed by Director of Administration at the Rivers State Ministry of Justice, Ebiriemg Deresima, accused Eke of engaging in “serious misconduct.”

It alleged that she co-signed a communique which criticised the state administration for acts described as “severe and brazen acts of lawlessness and impunity,” including the alleged dismantling of democratic structures and suppression of peaceful demonstrations.

The query further claimed that such actions violated the Public Service Rules and were considered inappropriate for a civil servant.

Reacting in a joint press release on Monday, the chairmen of the Rivers NBA branches described the move as a clear attempt to intimidate Eke and other legal professionals in the state.

They emphasised that the communique in question was not authored by Eke in her capacity as a public servant but as the elected Chairperson of the Port Harcourt Branch of the NBA — a role that empowers her to express the collective stance of the branch.

According to the statement, the communique dated April 9 was a product of formal NBA deliberations and conveyed the consensus of all NBA branches in Rivers State.

The chairmen also stated that their position was consistent with that of the NBA at the national level, as outlined by the Association’s President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN.

They went on to describe the query as part of a broader campaign by the Sole Administrator to silence opposing voices and dismantle democratic principles under the pretext of fostering peace.

“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 away 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 chairmen stated.

The statement was signed by the chairpersons of various NBA branches in the state: Dr. Hilda Desmond-Ihekaire (Ahoada), Simple Dioha, Esq. (Isiokpo), Abiye Abo, Esq. (Degema), Dr. N. A. Duson (Bori), and Dr. Celestine Nwankwo (Okehi), among others.

Reaffirming their stance, they pledged to continue resisting any acts of intimidation or victimisation against NBA leadership, members of the legal profession, or the people of Rivers State.

[NaijaNews]