The Bayelsa State House of Assembly has approved the removal from office of the Chairman of Sagbama Local Government Area, Alice Allen Tangi, and her Vice-Chairman, Sufade Jefferson Tobi, over alleged gross misconduct.
The decision was reached during Tuesday’s plenary following the consideration of a petition containing allegations against the two elected council officials.
Speaker of the Assembly, Abraham Ingobere, said the action was taken in accordance with the Bayelsa State Local Government Administration Law, 2000, relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution and other applicable laws.
According to him, the allegations against the chairman included failure to present monthly financial briefings and the annual budget to the House before expending public funds.
He also said the affected officials allegedly failed to honour several invitations extended by the Assembly to enable them respond to the allegations contained in the petition.
Ingobere said the constitutional requirement for the removal was satisfied after 17 of the 20 lawmakers present voted in favour of the resolution, representing the required two-thirds majority.
“The resolution of the House will be communicated to the executive arm of government for necessary action,” the Speaker said.
Assembly Approves Allowances for University Staff
In a separate development, the Assembly approved Governor Douye Diri’s request for the payment of Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance and Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance to workers in the state-owned universities.
House Leader, Monday Obolo, said the approval was necessary to address some of the challenges confronting the institutions and improve the welfare and productivity of academic and non-academic staff.
He said the allowances would also help the state-owned universities remain competitive with institutions in other parts of the country.
Obolo disclosed that the projected monthly financial implication of the allowances across the three state-owned universities was N564,842,691.58.
He said the amount would be integrated into the state’s salary structure, with payment expected to commence next month.
The approval was also supported by lawmakers representing Ekeremor Constituency II and Kolokuma/Opokuma Constituency, Living Mitin and Wisdom Fafin, respectively.
The lawmakers said improved staff welfare would help reduce the possibility of industrial disputes and disruptions in the state’s tertiary education sector.
Assembly Approves New Fiscal Framework
The House also approved a new chart of accounts designed to accommodate newly created ministries, departments and agencies of the state government.
Lawmakers said the measure would strengthen transparency in the tracking of government revenue and expenditure while improving budget preparation and fiscal planning.
Similarly, the Assembly approved the 2027–2029 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF-FSP) submitted by Governor Diri.
Obolo described the document as a critical foundation for the preparation of the annual budget, noting that it would guide government planning based on key economic indicators such as crude oil prices, exchange rates and inflation.
He said the economic assumptions contained in the document were realistic and achievable.
Deputy Leader of the House, Bernard Kenebai, commended the governor for presenting the MTEF-FSP within the required timeframe and described its projections as realistic.
The Assembly further conducted first readings of the Universal Basic Education Board Amendment Bill, 2026, and the Senior Secondary Education Board Bill, 2026, setting the stage for further legislative consideration of the proposed laws.
Credit: Punch except headline
