The Centre for Women’s Rights and Development Initiative has called on President Bola Tinubu and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) to intervene over an alleged plan to suspend and remove the Chairperson of Sagbama Local Government Area in Bayelsa State, C
The group’s Executive Director, Dr. Marilyn Okoro, made the appeal in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja.
Okoro alleged that the Bayelsa State Government, in collaboration with the State House of Assembly and the Sagbama Local Government Legislative Council, was plotting to suspend and remove Tangi from office.
She described the alleged move as unconstitutional, anti-democratic and a violation of local government autonomy, women’s political participation and the rule of law.
According to her, Tangi is the only woman currently serving as an elected local government chairperson in Bayelsa State and only the second woman in the state’s history to occupy the position.
Okoro argued that any attempt to remove Tangi would amount to an attack on women’s participation in politics and undermine democratic principles.
She maintained that every Nigerian, including elected local government officials, has the constitutional right to freedom of association without intimidation, coercion or threats of political victimisation.
“No citizen is under any legal or moral obligation to belong to a political party. Political affiliation must remain a matter of personal conviction and free will, not compulsion, coercion or the threat of removal from office,” she said.
She added that an elected public official could not lawfully be removed from office simply because of political affiliation.
Okoro further argued that neither the Bayelsa State Governor nor the State House of Assembly has the constitutional authority to suspend or remove an elected local government chairperson before the expiration of the official’s tenure.
She referenced the Supreme Court’s July 11, 2024 judgment, which granted financial and administrative autonomy to Nigeria’s 774 local government councils and directed that federal allocations be paid directly to them while prohibiting state governors from dissolving democratically elected councils.
“As such, the governor has no power to remove or suspend her from office. Why would they want to remove a woman whose tenure ends in seven months’ time? Her choice to remain on the platform that gave her the mandate should be respected,” Okoro said.
The rights advocate urged the Attorney-General of the Federation to immediately halt any unconstitutional move against Tangi and ensure that her tenure is protected.
She also called on security agencies to guarantee the council chairperson’s safety throughout the remainder of her tenure.
READ ALSO: 72% of Global Trade Still Operates Under WTO Rules Despite Policy Uncertainty – Okonjo-Iweala
Okoro further appealed for the continued direct payment of statutory allocations to the Sagbama Local Government Council in line with the Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy.
She urged Bayelsa women and Nigerians at large to stand in defence of Tangi against what she described as politically motivated intimidation targeted at female political office holders.
“The patriarchal structures that have long sought to keep women in subordinate positions must not be allowed to succeed once again.
“History has shown that whenever a woman occupies space in a male-dominated political environment and refuses to be controlled, powerful forces rise against her. This pattern must be broken. They are doing this because she is a woman,” she said.
Okoro also appealed to President Tinubu, the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Accountant-General of the Federation to protect Tangi from any unlawful suspension or removal.
She reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to defending Tangi and other women facing political intimidation and violations of their constitutional and democratic rights.
(NAN)
