Egbesu Assembly to Sue FG, Demand 24 More LGs in Bayelsa

Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

The Supreme Egbesu Assembly (SEA), an Ijaw sociocultural group, has initiated legal proceedings to compel the federal government and the National Assembly to establish additional 24 local governments in Bayelsa State.

The group said it is also taking both arms of government to court, while  advocating for full resource control and fiscal federalism, citing the inadequacy of the 13 per cent derivation for the Ijaw people.

Secretary-General, Felix Tuodolo, who spoke to journalists in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, stated that the group is pursuing legal options to address the issues.

Tuodolo, a former President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC)  and a member of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) mentioned that the group has started pre-action proceedings by sending letters to the Attorney-General and National Assembly, requesting a response within 21 days or face legal action.

He highlighted the disparity in the number of local government areas allocated to Bayelsa compared to other states created in 1996.

Tuodolo explained that despite Bayelsa fulfilling the requirements for creating local governments and the state House of Assembly approving 24 new areas, the National Assembly did not ratify them.

This, he said, led to Bayelsa reverting the proposed local governments to rural development areas.

Tuodolo emphasised the shift towards a civilised approach to address their demands, moving away from violent agitation. The group said it aims to seek justice for Bayelsa and the Ijaw community through legal means.

Also speaking, a female member of the Assembly, Primrose Oringeriya-Kpolokposei, expressed optimism about achieving justice for the Ijaw people.

Tuodolo and other members of the group, including Rosanna Jackson, Suzanne Ayoka, and Nnebi Berezia, said they remain committed to correcting the injustice faced by Bayelsa and the Ijaw community.