The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Rivers State has strongly criticised Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (rtd), the state’s Sole Administrator, following a disciplinary query issued to the Port Harcourt branch chairman, Cordelia Eke. The association views the query as an attempt to suppress legal dissent and punish Eke for fulfilling her role as an elected representative of legal professionals.
In a statement released in Port Harcourt, chairmen from the eight NBA branches in Rivers State described the accusations against Eke as baseless and politically motivated. The statement was endorsed by Dr. Hilda Desmond-Ihekaire of Ahoada, Simple Dioha of Isiokpo, Abiye Abo of Degema, Dr. N. A. Duson of Bori, and Dr. Celestine Nwankwo of Okehi, among others.
The query, issued through the Ministry of Justice by its Director of Administration, Ebiriemg Deresima, accused Eke of misconduct. It alleged that she co-authored a communique condemning the Sole Administrator’s governance, labelling it unconstitutional and an affront to democratic norms. The statement reportedly criticised the dismantling of state institutions and attacks on peaceful demonstrators.
Ibas insisted Eke, being a civil servant, violated public service conduct rules. However, the NBA clarified that Eke made the statement not in her capacity as a civil servant, but as chairman of the Port Harcourt branch of the NBA, acting within the constitutional mandate of the association. The body said her actions were part of collective decisions taken by all NBA branches in Rivers State, with full alignment with the national body led by Afam Osigwe, SAN.
The NBA described the query as a deliberate move to silence Eke and discourage lawyers in the state from challenging executive excesses. The chairmen warned that such intimidation tactics threaten not just the legal profession but also the constitutional rights of citizens.
The statement reaffirmed the NBA’s duty to defend the rule of law and speak truth to power, even under pressure. It concluded with a demand for the immediate withdrawal of the query, calling it an attack on free speech and an abuse of authority that contradicts the very justification for appointing a sole administrator to maintain peace.
