Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A women's rights organisation has raised the alarm over an alleged plot by the Bayelsa State Government to unlawfully remove the only female elected local government chairperson in the state, accusing Governor Douye Diri and his deputy of orchestrating the move because she refused to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The Centre for Women's Rights and Development Initiative (CWRDI) issued a statement on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, condemning what it described as ongoing intimidation and an alleged plan to suspend and remove the Chairperson of Sagbama Local Government Area, Hon. Alice Allen Tangi.
According to the group, Tangi is the only woman elected as a local government chairperson in Bayelsa State since the return of democracy and only the second woman to hold such a position in the state's history. The CWRDI alleged that the planned removal is being driven by political pressure linked to her refusal to defect to the APC from the PDP. The group specifically accused Governor Douye Diri and his deputy, Pastor Peter Akpe, of allegedly masterminding efforts to force her out of office.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Dr. Marilyn Damian Okoro, the organisation described the alleged move as "a direct affront to women, a betrayal of democratic norms, and an assault on the principles of local government autonomy". The group argued that compelling an elected official to join a political party violates the constitutional right to freedom of association. "Every Nigerian, including elected local government chairpersons, enjoys the fundamental right to freedom of association as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. No citizen is under any legal or moral obligation to join any political party, including the APC," the statement read.
The CWRDI further maintained that neither the governor nor the Bayelsa State House of Assembly has the constitutional authority to remove an elected local government chairman, citing the Supreme Court judgment of July 11, 2024, which granted financial and administrative autonomy to the country's 774 local government councils. "The historic ruling ordered that federal allocations be paid directly to local councils and prohibited state governors from dissolving elected local councils," the group said. Questioning the rationale behind the alleged move, the organisation asked: "Why would Peter Akpe and other forces desperately want to remove a woman whose tenure ends in seven months' time? She was duly elected under the PDP and has chosen to remain in the PDP".
The Centre called on President Bola Tinubu, the Attorney-General of the Federation, and the Accountant-General of the Federation to intervene and prevent what it described as an unconstitutional removal. It also urged security agencies to ensure Tangi's safety and protect the autonomy of the local government. The group further appealed to the women of Bayelsa State and all Nigerians of goodwill to rise in defence of Tangi, warning that any attempt to remove her over her political affiliation would undermine democratic values and discourage women's participation in politics.
As of the time of filing this report, the Bayelsa State Government, Governor Diri, Deputy Governor Akpe, and the Sagbama Local Government Council had not publicly responded to the allegations. The Guardian noted that it could not independently verify the allegations contained in the statement.
The controversy has reignited debates over local government autonomy and the independence of elected council officials, particularly in the wake of the Supreme Court's landmark 2024 judgment, which was seen as a major step toward shielding local governments from executive interference. For Tangi, who is serving her tenure as the lone female council chair in Bayelsa, the outcome of this political standoff could have significant implications for women's political participation in the state and beyond. The CWRDI has vowed to resist any move to remove her, declaring: "The patriarchal structures that have long sought to keep women in subordinate positions must not be allowed to succeed once again".
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