The Rivers State chapter of the Association of Local Government Areas of Nigeria has accused Governor Siminalayi Fubara of witholding its funds meant for the 23 LGAs in the state.

The state ALGON said the action had denied them of their functions in the administration of the third tier of government.

The LG chairmen said the action of the Governor is tantamount to proscribing local government councils in the state, even as they backed the call by the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Tony Okocha, for the State House of Assembly to commence impeachment procedings against the Governor.

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The State ALGON Chairman and Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Allwell Ihunda, stated this at a news briefing in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.

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Ihunda stated, “It has come to the notice of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Rivers State chapter, that the Rivers State Government, under the leadership of His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has neglected, failed, and deliberately refused to hold the statutory Joint Account Allocation Committee Meeting which is the prerequisite for the release and disbursement of funds due to the local government in the State Joint Local Government Accounts.

“And has continued to withhold the statutory allocations due to the 23 local government councils of Rivers State since April 2024.

“And in the case of Emuoha LGA since March 2024 till date for no just course, thereby starving the third tier of the government of the funds required to discharge its statutory functions in the administration of the local government areas.”

Details later…

Veteran actress, Madam Elizabeth Evoeme, who starred as Ovularia in the 80s TV sitcom ‘The New Masquerade’, is dead.

Born on December 1, 1942, Ovularia’s demise was confirmed by a family member who stated that she died surrounded by loved ones.

According to the statement, the actress died in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.

The statement read, “Friends, fans, colleagues, the family of the legendary actress, Elizabeth Lizzy ‘Ovularia’ Evoeme, would like to notify the public, all those who loved her and her work in ‘The new Masquerade,’ of her passing.

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“Elizabeth ‘Ovularia’ Evoeme will be dearly missed and was extremely loved by her family and also by you, her fans.

“We thank you all for your support and for respecting our privacy at this time. God bless you all and may our dear Elizabeth ‘Ovularia’ Evoeme rest in perfect peace, now and always.”

However, details of her death were not revealed.

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Ovularia’s daughter, Justina Ngozi Evoeme, based in London, described her mother’s death as painful and shocking, stating, “I need to get my head around what has happened.”

Her death comes four and a half years after she was rumoured to have died on November 5, 2019.

The rumour was disputed by Chika Okpala, known for his portrayal of Chief Zebrudaya Okoroigwe Nwaogbe, also known as 4.30 in the sitcom.

A lifeless body of a man, said to be a father of 12 children has been found in a brothel at Tombia-Amossoma road axis of Yenagoa, Bayelsa.

According to the residents of the area, the deceased is a 40-year-old man from Delta, though his name was not known as at the time of filling the report.

The deceased was said to be suffering from partial stroke, before engaging in a sex rump that led to his unfortunate demise.

They said he was one of the customers of the commercial sex workers, who left home around 8 am on Tuesday to meet a prostitute, but was later found dead in the quarters.

It was gathered that the lifeless body was found naked in the apartment while all the commercial sex workers had deserted the said apartment.

At the time of visiting the scene, people living around the area were trying to get the identity of the deceased to contact the relative to evacuate the corpse for burial.

It was gathered that security operatives had previously raided the brothel and earmarked it as a red-light zone.

The Commander of Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) in Bayelsa State, Mr Tolumobofa Akpoebibo Jonathan, told Nigerian Tribune at the scene that the deceased is a 40-year-old father of 12 from Delta state.

Police spokesperson in Bayelsa, ASP Musa Muhammed, told Nigerian Tribune that he was trying to reach out to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the area to get accurate information about what happened while promising to get back on the cause of the incident.
Tribune online