A suit filed against the Federal Government and the National Assembly, by the Supreme Egbesu Assembly (SEA), has been adjourned to the 1st of June 2026 for further hearing.
The suit marked FHC/YNG/CS/64/2026 has Felix Tuodolo, Weri Digifa, Ebi Waribigha, Kabowei Akambe, Rosebella Jackson, Thomas Jacklloyd, Primrose Kpokposei, David Imole and Welma Warri as applicants, while the Federal Government and the National Assembly are the Defendants.
Recall that the Supreme Egbesu Assembly called on the National Assembly specifically to do the needful for the creation of twenty-four more local government areas for Bayelsa State.
The group also asked the Federal Government to allow the Niger Deltans to control their resources and pay tax to the Federal Government.
Dr Felix Tuodolo, Secretary General of the Supreme Egbesu Assembly, speaking to journalists in Yenagoa on Wednesday after a court appearance, disclosed that the Assembly had issued a 21-day ultimatum recently urging the Federal Government and the National Assembly on the need to create twenty-four additional Local Governments for Bayelsa State.
SEA had also stated that if her demands are not met after twenty-one days, as at the time of making those demands, it would head to court. To that effect, SEA had gone to institute a court action at the Federal High Court, Yenagoa, to push for their demands.
Responding to journalists, Tuodolo maintained that “one of the issues that brought us to court today is the issue of the creation of more local governments in Bayelsa State, and the other one is the issue of resource control by our people.
‘We have been on it for some time, and as you know, the issue of resource control is an issue that our fathers were fighting for, and they are gone. We have taken over, and we want it to end.
“Nigeria should listen to us and do what is right, and the right is to allow the people to control their resources. Not only are we fighting for resource control for the Ijaw people, but we also know that there are resources in other parts of the country, and we also know that some tribes are quietly mining their resources like gold and even minerals like tin and others.
“They still mine them and do as they like, but when it comes to oil, it’s a different ball game, and it’s not good for us. So, we are doing this so that we will be able to control our resources.
“And on the issue of local government, it is very, very unfair. You create a state, you give them only eight local governments, and you know, Bayelsa is the capital of Nigeria, and when things are good here, it cascades to the rest of the Nigerian people. So we are fighting for more local governments because a state like Kano has 44 local governments and they have 44 house of representatives.
“In Bayelsa, we are not even given 8 House of Representatives. It’s only 5. It’s unfair.
“So, give us more local governments. We have met all the criteria for having more local governments. They said it should be passed by the House of Assembly. There should be what they call acceptance by the people.
“All of that has been done. The assembly was approved during the time of Alamiesegha, but they didn’t do it. And we have waited for this long, and the injustice is getting worse.
“So many things are shared based on local government areas in this country, and Bayelsa State and the rest of Ijaw land provide the bulk of the wealth that is sustaining Nigeria. We can’t be sustaining others, and we are having less. It’s unfair.”
Also speaking, Counsel to the group (SEA), Barrister E. Kenneth Okorodas, recalled that sometime in 1999 to 2000, the government of Bayelsa State, through the State House of Assembly, created an additional 24 local governments.
“And now we have written to the National Assembly for consideration, that indeed Bayelsa has eight local governments, which is very unjust, unfair, and against all principles of justice.
“It is on the strength of that, in recognition of the constitution, particularly sections 7, 8, and 6 of the 1999 constitution, as amended, that provide for the procedures upon which local government can be created.
” We expect that the National Assembly should honour our letter and discuss it. But they didn’t do that. So we are here in court, asking the court to mandate the National Assembly to deliberate on what the Bayelsa State Government has done, and create an additional twenty-four local governments for Bayelsa State.
“So we are asking the court to compel the National Assembly for the creation of additional 24 Local Governments for Bayelsa State.
“Now, you agree with me that Nigeria is a federal system and the principle of federalism practised all over the world entails that state governments should control their resources and pay an agreed percentage to the centre.
“You cannot come to control my resources and give me what you want. You cannot come to my own state, you collect everything, and then you dip your hand inside your pocket and say, ” You take this.
“That’s an aberration to the principle and tenet of true federalism, and so what we are saying is that the Nigerian government should respect the practice of true federalism by allowing states to control their resources and pay an agreeable percentage to the federal government.”
Okorodas hinted that already, the Federal Government/ National Assembly have been served, maintaining that:” in law, what we serve is an originating summons and an originating summons process takes 21 days. The defendant is seen within the time for which they can file their responses.
“And that’s why the court has taken this long adjournment to enable the time to elapse. And if they fail to file, then the court knows what to do.” He explained.
