FG, NASS Absent As Court Hears Bayelsa Resource Control Suits

The legal battle seeking the creation of additional local government areas and resource control for oil-producing states suffered a setback on Monday as the Federal Government and the National Assembly failed to appear before the Federal High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

The suits, instituted by the Supreme Egbesu Assembly (SEA), an Ijaw socio-cultural pressure group, seek the creation of 25 additional local government areas for Bayelsa State and the transfer of control of natural resources from the Federal Government to the states where the resources are produced.

The cases, marked FHC/YNG/CS/63/2026 and FHC/YNG/CS/64/2026, list the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the National Assembly as defendants.
At Monday’s proceedings, presided over by Justice Ayo Emmanuel, neither the defendants nor their legal representatives were present in court despite the matters being scheduled for hearing.

The absence of the defendants prompted the court to adjourn both cases until July 1, 2026, to allow for the hearing of pending applications and ensure a fair hearing for all parties.

Speaking to journalists after the court session, counsel to the plaintiffs, Barrister E.K. Okorodas, said one of the suits, bordering on resource control, had already attracted a counter-affidavit from the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.

According to him, the plaintiffs had responded by filing further and better affidavits as well as replies on points of law.

“Today was supposed to be for hearing. There are two cases before the court. In the resource control matter, the Attorney General has filed a counter challenging our suit.

We have responded appropriately, but incidentally they are not in court today,” Okorodas said.

He noted that despite the defendants challenging the resource control suit, they failed to attend proceedings.

The lawyer further disclosed that in the separate suit seeking additional local government areas for Bayelsa State, the defendants had not filed any response.

“The defendants, the National Assembly and the Attorney General of the Federation, have not filed any processes in the local government creation case, even though they are already out of time.

However, in the interest of justice and fair hearing, the court granted an adjournment to hear the matter properly,” he stated.

The suits attracted significant public attention as hundreds of Ijaw youths converged on the Federal High Court premises in solidarity with the plaintiffs.

Dressed in white attire and chanting solidarity songs, the protesters demonstrated support for the demands for resource control and additional local government areas. Court officials, however, restricted them to a designated area outside the courtroom to ensure proceedings were not disrupted.

Addressing journalists, Secretary-General of the Supreme Egbesu Assembly and pioneer President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Dr. Felix Tuodolo, said the legal action became necessary after years of unsuccessful agitation.

He recalled that Ijaw activists had over the years organized protests across Yenagoa, Port Harcourt and Warri in pursuit of resource control and increased local government representation for Bayelsa State.

“We are here today because we have not been listened to over the years on two major issues — resource control and the creation of additional local government areas,” Tuodolo said.

“We are veterans of the Ijaw struggle. We have marched through the streets demanding these things. Some of our youths have lost their lives in the struggle, and because we are growing older, we have chosen the path of law and justice rather than confrontation.”

Tuodolo stressed that the group deliberately opted for legal action instead of allowing frustrated youths to resort to violence that could threaten critical national economic assets.

He called on the government and relevant institutions to ensure accelerated judicial processes, warning that prolonged delays could heighten frustration among younger activists in the region.

“Now that we have chosen the legal path to pursue these issues, it behooves the government to listen and act fast before the youths decide to do otherwise,” he said.
The Ijaw leader also commented on political developments in neighbouring Rivers State, warning against what he described as attempts to marginalize the Ijaw ethnic nationality.

According to him, the Supreme Egbesu Assembly would resist any political arrangement that treats Ijaw people as second-class citizens.

“We are watching political events unfold in Rivers State. The Ijaw people are not second-class citizens. Any political party willing to undermine the Ijaws in Rivers State shall not have the support of the Ijaw people. We are monitoring developments and will respond accordingly in due course,” Tuodolo stated.

The Supreme Egbesu Assembly said the court action forms part of a broader campaign to address what it described as longstanding political and economic injustices against the Ijaw people.

The group is also pursuing a separate case before the ECOWAS Court of Justice challenging Nigeria’s participation in the Morocco-Nigeria Gas Pipeline project.

Justice Emmanuel subsequently adjourned the two suits to July 1, 2026, for further hearing.