The Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa has adjourned the suit filed by the Supreme Egbesu Assembly (SEA) against the Federal Government and the National Assembly over resource control and the creation of additional Local Government Areas for Bayelsa State until July 1, 2026, for further hearing.
Justice N. Ayo Emmanuel fixed the new date after proceedings in the matter marked FHC/YNG/CS/64/2026, in which prominent members of the SEA, including Dr Felix Tuodolo, Weri Digifa, Ebi Waribigha, Kabowei Akambe, Rosebella Jackson, Thomas Jacklloyd, Primrose Kpokposei, David Imole, and Welma Warri, are the applicants.
The Federal Government and the National Assembly are listed as defendants in the suit.
The Supreme Egbesu Assembly had approached the court seeking an order compelling the National Assembly to create an additional 24 local government areas for Bayelsa State.
The group is also pursuing a separate suit, FHC/YNG/CS/63/2026, demanding that Niger Delta states be granted full control of their natural resources and be allowed to remit taxes to the Federal Government under a true federalism arrangement.
Speaking with journalists after Monday’s court session, Secretary-General of the Supreme Egbesu Assembly, Dr Felix Tuodolo, said the group returned to court because successive governments had failed to address longstanding demands concerning resource control and equitable political representation.
According to him, the agitation for resource control and additional local government areas has spanned several decades, with many members of the Ijaw struggle having participated in protests and advocacy campaigns across Yenagoa, Port Harcourt, and Warri.
“We are here today because we have not been listened to over the years on two major issues—resource control and the creation of more local governments for Bayelsa State,” Tuodolo said.
“We are veterans of the Ijaw struggle. We have marched on the streets demanding these rights. Some of our youths paid the ultimate price in the process. Now that many of us are older, we have chosen the legal path to pursue these demands, and the government should listen and act before frustration pushes the younger generation in a different direction.”
Tuodolo expressed concern over what he described as the continued exploitation of Niger Delta resources without corresponding benefits to the people of the region.
He cited ongoing gas development projects, arguing that resources extracted from Bayelsa and other Niger Delta communities continue to power industries and economies elsewhere while Local communities remain underdeveloped and exposed to environmental degradation.
“It is unacceptable that our gas and other resources are transported across borders to drive industrial growth, create jobs, and provide electricity elsewhere, while our communities continue to suffer environmental damage, unemployment, and lack of development,” he stated.
He urged the judiciary to ensure that the matter is not unnecessarily delayed, stressing that the people of the Niger Delta had demonstrated patience for many years.
“We want to control our resources. We want more local governments for Bayelsa. We want environmental remediation. These are legitimate demands that should not be ignored,” he added.
Earlier, counsel to the applicants, Barrister E. Kenneth Okorodas, explained that the adjournment became necessary to allow all parties adequate opportunity to present their cases in line with the principles of a fair hearing.
According to him, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation had filed a response challenging the resource control suit, to which the applicants had already submitted a further and better affidavit, as well as a reply on points of law.
“The matter was scheduled for hearing today, but the Office of the Attorney-General was not in court. Since the law guarantees every party the right to a fair hearing, the court deemed it appropriate to grant an adjournment,” Okorodas explained.
He further disclosed that the defendants had yet to file any response in the suit seeking the creation of additional local government areas for Bayelsa State, despite being out of time.
“Although they have not filed any process in the local government creation matter, the court, in the interest of justice and fair hearing, adjourned the case to July 1, by which time we expect all necessary processes to be before the court for hearing,” he said.
Speaking on the substance of the resource control case, Okorodas argued that the suit seeks to compel the Federal Government to uphold the principles of true federalism as envisaged by the Constitution.
He referenced Section 162(2) of the 1999 Constitution, which provides for a revenue allocation formula to be developed based on factors such as population, landmass, terrain, and other relevant considerations, subject to recommendations by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission.
According to him, the Constitution stipulates that derivation should not be less than 13 per cent, but he maintained that there is a need for a more equitable and constitutionally compliant revenue-sharing framework that reflects the interests of all federating units.
Okorodas said the court would ultimately determine the merits of the arguments presented by both sides, expressing confidence that the judiciary would provide clarity on the constitutional issues raised in the suit.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to July 1, 2026, for further hearing.
