Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has officially removed Chief Wilcox Seiyefa, the paramount ruler of Swali Community, from his position as the Ebeniken. This decision follows the initial suspension of the Ebeniken and his Council of Chiefs on May 21, 2025, due to accusations that they were involved in abetting insecurity within the community.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Governor Diri, represented by his deputy, Peter Akpe, announced the dethronement during a stakeholder meeting at the Government House in Yenagoa on Tuesday. The Governor justified the action under Section Six of the state’s Chieftaincy Law, which emphasizes the necessity of maintaining peace, order, and good governance.

The removal was prompted by findings from a government-appointed fact-finding committee, which consulted with security agencies and local stakeholders. According to the Governor, the committee concluded that the community’s leadership was too weak and indecisive to manage the violence and security issues that arose.

Looking forward, Governor Diri has ordered the immediate commencement of a process to elect a new paramount ruler for the community, stipulating that the selection must be concluded within a three-month timeframe.

The Federal Government is set to dismantle the policy that separates Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) from Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) in a move aimed at curbing high dropout rates. Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced this shift on Tuesday in Abuja while inaugurating the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Ministerial Implementation and Monitoring Committee.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

According to Dr. Alausa, the “disarticulation” policy—which mandates that JSS and SSS levels operate independently with separate facilities and leadership—has proven ineffective. Highlighting the scale of the problem, the Minister pointed to a massive gap: while there are 80,000 public primary schools, there are only 15,000 junior secondary schools, a ratio of one to eight. This imbalance has left junior secondary levels severely overcrowded while senior facilities remain underutilized.

“This disarticulation policy has failed. We will phase it out,” Dr. Alausa stated, emphasizing that prioritizing administrative positions over the welfare of students has harmed the education system. He noted that a formal proposal to abolish the policy will be submitted to the National Council on Education, with the ultimate goal of increasing educational access and improving learning outcomes.

Furthermore, the Minister inaugurated a new committee, led by Prof. Rashid Aderinoye, tasked with overseeing UBEC-funded projects, including Smart, Bilingual, and Alternative schools. Dr. Alausa expressed frustration over the delay in these projects, noting that despite significant government investment, many remain unfinished or non-operational, which he characterized as a drain on public resources. The committee is now charged with ensuring these schools are completed, transferred to state governments, and opened for students.

The internal conflict within the All Democratic Alliance (ADA) has escalated, as the Court of Appeal in Abuja has been petitioned to overturn a Federal High Court order that instructed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the association as a political party for the 2027 general elections.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The appeal was lodged on Tuesday by Dr. Umar Ardo, an aggrieved member who claims he had previously secured the necessary INEC access code before his application was rejected. His challenge rests on six primary grounds, contending that Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court erred in law by ordering INEC to release the access code to a faction led by Chief Akin Ricketts.

Key Arguments Presented by the Appellant:

• Abuse of Court Process: Ardo argues that the suit initiated by Chief Ricketts and Dr. Aminu Ahmed constitutes an abuse of judicial process because it involves the same parties and subject matter as a previously filed suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/2788/2025), which is currently pending on appeal.

• Forum Shopping: The appellant alleges that the respondents are attempting to bypass the appellate process by seeking a new judgment in the High Court rather than awaiting the outcome of the ongoing appeal.

• Statute-Barred Claims: Ardo maintains that the case filed by the respondents was statute-barred under Section 76 of the Electoral Act 2022, as it was brought more than 14 days after the cause of action arose.

• Lack of Locus Standi: The appeal asserts that Chief Ricketts lacks the legal standing to sue, as he was previously removed as the Pro Tem National Chairman and his name has been removed from the association’s membership register.

• Jurisdictional Overreach: Ardo contends that the Federal High Court exceeded its jurisdiction by interfering in the internal affairs of the association regarding leadership changes and the validity of association decisions.

Background and Court Ruling In October 2025, INEC identified ADA as one of 14 associations pre-qualified for registration. However, a dispute arose between factions over who held the legitimate authority to access the INEC portal. Justice Lifu’s initial judgment nullified previous actions taken by Ardo on behalf of the association, declared the release of the access code to him illegal, and ordered INEC to provide the code to the Ricketts-led faction within 72 hours.

Beyond requesting the nullification of the Federal High Court’s judgment, Dr. Ardo has applied for costs to be awarded against the respondents.