Speculation continues to mount over an alleged move by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly to suspend the Executive Chairperson of Sagbama Local Government Area, Hon. Mrs Alice Allen Tangi, although no official confirmation has been issued by either the Assembly or the Bayelsa State Government.
Sources familiar with developments, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed that lawmakers may be considering action against the council chairperson in the coming days. However, the reasons for the alleged move remain unclear, and the claims had not been independently verified as of the time of filing this report.
Political observers have linked the speculation to the state’s changing political landscape, with reports suggesting that Mrs Tangi, who was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has remained politically aligned with former Bayelsa State Governor and Senator representing Bayelsa West, Senator Seriake Dickson, who is now associated with the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Unverified reports circulating on social media claim that she declined to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Neither the Bayelsa State House of Assembly nor the Sagbama Local Government Council had issued any official statement on the matter at the time of this report. A review of publicly available information also found no official announcement confirming any planned suspension or removal.
Meanwhile, the Centre for Women’s Rights and Development Initiative has condemned what it described as the alleged intimidation and planned unconstitutional removal of the Sagbama Local Government Chairperson.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Dr Mrs Marilyn Damian Okoro, the group described Hon. Tangi as the only woman currently serving as an elected local government chairperson in Bayelsa State and the second in the state’s democratic history.
The organisation alleged that there were credible reports indicating that the planned action was politically motivated and linked to her reported refusal to defect from the PDP to the APC.
According to the group, compelling an elected public official to change political parties violates the constitutional right to freedom of association and undermines democratic principles.
The organisation further argued that, following the Supreme Court judgment of July 11, 2024, which affirmed the financial and administrative autonomy of the 774 local government councils across Nigeria, neither a state governor nor any state legislature has the constitutional authority to arbitrarily remove or suspend a democratically elected local government chairperson outside the provisions of the law.
The group called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Attorney-General of the Federation, security agencies and other relevant authorities to intervene and ensure that Hon. Tangi’s constitutional rights and tenure are protected if the reported move materialises.
It also urged women across Bayelsa State and Nigeria to stand in defence of democratic values and women’s participation in politics, warning against what it described as political intimidation targeted at female office holders.
As of press time, the Bayelsa State Government, the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and the Sagbama Local Government Council had not publicly responded to the allegations contained in the group’s statement.
The Niger Delta Herald will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as more verified information becomes available.