NEWS
Bayelsa Assembly Sacks Sagbama LGA Chairman, Deputy
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 taken during Tuesday’s plenary following consideration of a petition against the two elected local government officials.
ALSO READ: 120 Bayelsa Youths, SMEs Gain from NCDMB Training
The Speaker of the House, Abraham Ingobere, said the resolution was reached in accordance with the Bayelsa State Local Government Administration Law, 2000, and other relevant legal provisions.
According to him, the petition bordered on the alleged failure of the chairman to present monthly transparent briefings and the annual budget before spending public funds.
Ingobere also said Tangi allegedly failed to honour invitations by the House to respond to the allegations.
The Speaker said the House secured the required two-thirds majority for the removal, with 17 of the 20 lawmakers present voting in favour of the resolution.
“The resolution of the House will be communicated to the executive arm of government for necessary action.”
He added that the affected officials had allegedly failed to appear before the House despite several invitations to respond to the issues raised in the petition.
The Assembly also cited relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Bayelsa State Local Government Administration Law in arriving at its decision.
Meanwhile, the Assembly approved Governor Douye Diri’s request for the payment of the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance and Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance to staff of the state-owned universities.
Supporting the request, the Leader of the House, Monday Obolo, said the approval was necessary because of the challenges confronting the state-owned universities.
“Due to the enormous challenges faced by state-owned universities, the approval is necessary in order to enhance the productivity of lecturers and non-lecturers.”
Obolo said 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 incorporated into the state’s salary structure, with payment expected to commence next month.
The House also approved a new chart of accounts to accommodate newly created ministries, departments and agencies of the state government.
Lawmakers said the measure was in line with international best practices and intended to promote transparency in tracking government revenue and expenditure and improve budgetary planning.
Similarly, the Assembly approved the 2027–2029 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper submitted by Diri.
Obolo described the MTEF-FSP as a precursor to the annual budget, saying it would enable the government to plan using key macroeconomic indicators, including crude oil prices, exchange rates and inflation.
The Assembly also conducted first readings of the Universal Basic Education Board Amendment Bill, 2026, and the Senior Secondary Education Board Bill, 2026.
NEWS
Showunmi Urges South-East to Judge Tinubu by Projects, Not Propaganda
Otunba Segun Showunmi, a member of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) for 2027, has urged the South-East to assess President Bola Tinubu’s administration based on verifiable projects and measurable results rather than political propaganda.
Showunmi made the call in a statement posted on X on Saturday, urging Nigerians to evaluate the government’s performance based on infrastructure delivery, funds committed to projects and their impact on communities.
He said federal infrastructure initiatives targeting the South-East under Tinubu’s administration deserved serious scrutiny and factual assessment, adding that unfulfilled promises should continue to be pursued until the expected results were delivered.
SEE ALSO: 2027 Election: ‘Look Beyond the Noise’ – Showunmi Urges Nigerians to Give Tinubu More Time
“Our message is clear: We will not trade facts for propaganda, nor accountability for political loyalty!” he said.
The political figure challenged critics of the administration to provide evidence to support their claims, while urging those defending the government to present the projects and demonstrate their impact.
He also called on government officials to publish relevant figures, disclose project timelines and provide measurable results, insisting that no public official should be exempt from scrutiny.
According to Showunmi, the South-East deserves infrastructure that supports economic growth, including roads that connect markets, investments that create jobs and policies that expand economic opportunities.
He maintained that political representation must translate into tangible benefits for citizens, stressing that public office should deliver value to the people.
As part of his call to action, Showunmi urged Nigerians to scrutinise government records, challenge misinformation with evidence and demand the completion of outstanding projects.
He further called for public commitments to be matched by measurable delivery, arguing that leadership should be assessed by facts and results rather than political rhetoric.
Ending his statement with the slogan, “Asiwaju is a goal,” Showunmi called for accountability and greater inclusion of the South-East in Nigeria’s development.
Showunmi is associated with The Alternative and is a member of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 elections.
NEWS
Lagos: LASTMA Announces Traffic Restrictions Along Route to Toll Gate
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on Saturday announced a temporary road closure near Apostolic Church, inward Toll Gate, to allow engineers to install a beam on a height-restriction structure.
The agency said the installation was aimed at preventing high-rise trailers from accessing the newly constructed pedestrian bridge.
ALSO READ: LASTMA Alerts Motorists to Traffic Delays on Ogunnusi Road
“Currently, one lane has been occupied to facilitate the ongoing construction work, while the remaining two lanes are available to motorists,” LASTMA stated.
The agency advised road users to approach the affected corridor with caution and follow the directions of its personnel deployed to the area.
“Road users are advised to approach the affected corridor with caution and follow the directions of our personnel who are on ground to ensure the smooth flow of vehicular movement,” the statement added.
LASTMA also urged motorists to remain patient while the installation work continued.
“Motorists are encouraged to exercise patience while the installation work is in progress,” the agency stated.
NEWS
‘Oseni Rufai Helped Me, Not NiDCOM’ — Ekene Chukwuma on Return to Nigeria
Nigerian national Ekene Chukwuma has said he returned to Nigeria with assistance linked to Oseni Rufai rather than the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), while renewing allegations against the commission’s chairperson, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, over his travel documents.
Chukwuma made the remarks in an interview in which he explained how he returned to Nigeria after spending months at a deportation camp in India.
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“My name is Kenneth Chukwu, from Enugu State,” he said, introducing himself before explaining how he returned to the country.
“I came back here with the assist of Osini Roufai, a good friend of him,” he said.
Chukwuma denied that NiDCOM facilitated his return, alleging that the commission had published false information about his case.
“NiDCOM made a lots of false, uh, news acquisition against me, which is still in Abike Dabiri handle in Twitter,” he said.
He also accused Dabiri-Erewa of sharing his expired international passport and a travel certificate he claimed was issued six months after he entered the detention camp.
“He also, she also posted my international passport that expired. He also, she also posted my TC that issued after 6 months,” he said.
His comments renew questions surrounding the handling of his case and the circumstances under which he obtained the documents needed to return to Nigeria.
Chukwuma’s detention in India previously sparked a public disagreement between ARISE News presenter Oseni Rufai and Dabiri-Erewa over NiDCOM’s response to reports of his situation.
Oseni raised concerns about Chukwuma’s detention and the commission’s handling of the case, while Dabiri-Erewa defended NiDCOM’s position and explained the process for submitting information to the commission.
NiDCOM subsequently issued its account of Chukwuma’s detention, stating that he had been arrested in India over a visa overstay and addressing the circumstances surrounding his travel documents.
The differing accounts prompted public debate about the commission’s response to Nigerians facing immigration difficulties abroad.





