Elder statesman and leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, has taken a firm stance against the northern governors’ opposition to the tax reform bills introduced by President Bola Tinubu.

Speaking during the Sunday edition of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande on Channels Television, Clark stressed the importance of the reforms for Nigeria’s economic stability, criticising the 19 northern governors of double standards and undue influence.

The elder statesman, however, questioned their decision to hold separate meetings after the National Economic Council (NEC), chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, had already deliberated on the matter.

“I was so shocked when I learned that the 19 governors of the north have met again. If 36 of you met, why are you meeting again? This arrogance of power must stop,” he said.

The elder statesman also expressed disappointment with the NEC’s recommendation that the tax bills be shelved for further consultation.

He criticized the council for overstepping its advisory role, accusing it of engaging in political manoeuvring.

“The NEC is a constitutional advisory body, but today it has been converted into an executive body.

“The 36 governors under the vice president are now playing politics rather than focusing on governance,” Clark remarked.

He further accused governors of failing to engage their constituents, claiming they prioritize trips to Abuja over addressing local concerns.

“How many times have they consulted their people? They don’t stay at home. They are always in Abuja thinking that they will get more money,” he said.

Clark also called on President Tinubu to prioritize inclusivity and merit in his administration.

He criticized the president for allegedly appointing allies and friends to key positions, warning that such actions could deepen divisions in the country.

“Nigeria does not belong to Mr. President; it belongs to everyone. Every Nigerian deserves an equal chance to rise to the top,” he emphasized.

Defending the tax reform bills, Clark insisted that they are crucial for Nigeria’s fiscal health.

He argued that all Nigerians, including the northern governors, must contribute through taxes to sustain the nation.

“When they decide to share, they must ask where the money they are sharing comes from. So, you must pay tax,” he said.

President Tinubu’s tax reform bills have been met with widespread criticism, with concerns about their potential economic burdens on citizens.

While the NEC advised the president to reconsider the bills, the 19 northern governors separately rejected them, further fueling tensions.

Popular Hollywood actor Denzel Washington has officially become a gospel minister, after receiving his minister’s license.

The 69-year-old Academy Award-winning actor was baptized by Archbishop Christopher Bryant at Kelly Temple in New York City on Saturday.

In a heartfelt message following the baptism, Washington expressed his gratitude and faith.

“It took a while, but I’m finally here. If God can do this for me, there’s nothing He can’t do for you. The sky literally is the limit,” he said.

Archbishop Bryant, who officiated the ceremony, shared the occasion on Facebook, celebrating Washington’s decision to give his life to Christ and join the clergy in the Church of God in Christ.

“We celebrate the addition of Minister Denzel Washington into the clergy, having received his minister’s license in the Church of God in Christ today, in a truly uplifting moment,” the post read.

Washington has long been open about his Christian faith, though he’s previously noted how difficult it can be to express such beliefs in Hollywood.

In a recent interview with ‘Esquire’, he revealed how religion is often a taboo subject in the entertainment industry.

“When you see me, you see the best I could do with what I’ve been given by my lord and savior,” the “Gladiator II” star wrote for Esquire.

Despite these challenges, he stressed that his faith remains central to his identity.

“I’m unafraid. “I don’t care what anyone thinks. See, talking about the fear part of it – you can’t talk like that and win Oscars. You can’t talk like that and party. You can’t say that in this town,” he added.

Though Washington is unsure how many of his peers in Hollywood share his beliefs, he made it clear that his faith is an important part of who he is.

“I’m free now. It’s not talked about in this town. It’s not talked about. It’s not talked about. It’s not fashionable. It’s not sexy. But that doesn’t mean people in Hollywood don’t believe.

“There’s no such thing called Hollywood anyway. What does that even mean? That to me means a street called Hollywood Boulevard,” he wrote.

Washington’s career has spanned more than four decades, with standout roles in films such as ‘Malcolm X’, ‘Training Day’, ‘The Book of Eli’, and ‘Fences’.

His breakthrough came with the TV series ‘St. Elsewhere’ in 1982, setting the stage for his illustrious film career.

Nollywood actress Toyosi Adesanya has shared harrowing details about her marriage and an alleged attempt on her life.

In an emotional interview with her colleague, Bimpe Akintunde on the YouTube show Iriri Mi, Toyosi recounted the challenges she endured in her 15-year marriage and the lengths she went to save it, despite her stardom.

Toyosi Adesanya revealed that her efforts to sustain her marriage included relocating from Lagos to Akure, a decision she believed would balance her career and family life.

She even travelled abroad at her own expense to salvage her relationship when her husband relocated. However, the actress alleged that malevolent forces infiltrated her marriage, leading to its eventual breakdown.

The most shocking revelation came when Toyosi recounted an alleged assassination attempt. She claimed that her life was saved miraculously, but someone else died in her place.

Bimpe Akintunde, who visited Toyosi during her marriage, corroborated some of the struggles, recalling meeting her colleague fetching water, a stark contrast to her celebrity status.

In Toyosi Adesanya’s words:

“For me, I wish to be married. For someone like me, I’ve been in a marriage and people were asking me how I would cope with stardom. I left Lagos for Akure, which is a four-hour journey, but I was determined it wouldn’t affect my stardom. I made all that sacrifice in that marriage.

“I really put in an effort in my marriage. I was married for 15 years. I tried so much in my marriage that the elder in the industry knew I did. The person I married didn’t offend me, but he allowed the devil into the marriage. The house that I built with him, I left it for him because my life is important.

“When he left me to go abroad, I went to meet him there and even used my money to transport myself there because I wanted to make my marriage work.

“The man that I am currently with, I told him I am not going to get married because I will have one wedding in life because it was a court wedding.

Bimpe Akintunde knew of my court wedding as she attended it in Akure. Anytime she came to visit, she would bring foodstuffs for me and encourage me to stay in the marriage. We were fetching water in the first house we acquired. She said I was now fetching water and I said God will perform miracles. I would be praying for my husband in the presence of my present husband.

The senior actors I usually go to the prayer mountain with came to my house in Akure and told me that there were some items planted in some designated places in my home and prayed against my corpse being taken out of the house”.

Nigerian UK-based pastor Tobi Adegboyega has remained in the news amid reports of his alleged deportation.

Speaking in a recent interview, the clergyman explained why Davido, KCee, and others performed at his recent birthday party.

In November 2024, Tobi Adegboyega was berated after videos featuring Davido, KCee, and others performing at his birthday party emerged. Critics queried his reasons for opting for secular artistes instead of gospel singers to perform at his birthday, considering his status as a clergyman.

In the interview, the UK-based pastor explained that he is close to Davido and Zlatan Ibile, whom he jokingly described as gospel artists.

Pastor Tobi Adegboyega stated that he couldn’t force gospel artistes to relate with him since they joined the bandwagon against him. The clergyman also disclosed that Davido and every other artiste who performed at his birthday bash did not receive a dime.

Speaking about Zlatan Ibile, Adegboyega described the Zanku boss as a son to him, stating that his parents were recently at his home in the UK.

The federal government has called on state governors yet to implement the newly approved ₦70,000 minimum wage to do so as a special New Year gift for workers.

Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, made this appeal during a press briefing in Abuja. She noted that the new minimum wage aligns with improving workers’ welfare and promoting industrial harmony nationwide.

Onyejeocha expressed optimism that the New Year would encourage more governors to adopt the wage package.

She highlighted that most states have already committed to its implementation, while those yet to start have not refused but may require more time.

“All we can say to workers is to remain patient. I believe governors will use the New Year to implement the minimum wage as a gesture to their workers,” she said.

In addition, the minister revealed plans for the Labour Employment and Empowerment Programme (LEEP). This initiative, spearheaded by President Bola Tinubu, aims to create 2.5 million jobs annually over the next four years, providing critical employment opportunities across sectors.

Onyejeocha also addressed efforts to ensure industrial peace through the recently launched National Industrial Relations Policy (NIRP).

This policy seeks to foster better collaboration between labor unions and employers, reducing the frequency of strikes.

Responding to the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee’s threat to block allocations to the Ministry of Labour, Onyejeocha apologized on behalf of the ministry. She acknowledged the lawmakers’ constitutional authority to demand accountability and pledged to address the issue promptly.

“It’s unfortunate, and I apologize to the National Assembly. We must respect their oversight responsibilities and ensure compliance in future engagements,” she stated.

The minister assured that the ministry would utilize the remaining budget deliberation window to defend its proposals effectively, reaffirming its commitment to fulfilling its mandates.

The Federal Government has officially declared Wednesday, December 25, Thursday, December 26, 2024, and Wednesday, January 1, 2025, as public holidays to mark Christmas, Boxing Day, and New Year celebrations.

This announcement was made by the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, through a statement released on Monday in Abuja by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Magdalene Ajani.

Dr. Tunji-Ojo extended heartfelt greetings to all Nigerians, encouraging them to reflect on the values of love, peace, and unity that the festive season represents.

He urged citizens to use the holiday period to strengthen family bonds and promote harmony within their communities.

“The Christmas season is a good moment for both spiritual reflection and national renewal. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, let us demonstrate kindness and extend goodwill to one another, irrespective of our differences,” Tunji-Ojo stated.

The minister also reiterated the government’s commitment to fostering peace, security, and prosperity across the nation, calling on Nigerians to remain steadfast in their dedication to national progress.

Dr. Tunji-Ojo expressed optimism about the future, emphasizing the positive impact of President Bola Tinubu‘s Renewed Hope Agenda in ushering in a more prosperous 2025.

The minister concluded by wishing all Nigerians a joyous Christmas and a fulfilling New Year, expressing confidence in a better and thriving economy in the months ahead.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has advised politicians to desist from politicizing the tragic stampedes during food distribution exercises in Ibadan, Abuja, and Okija.

He argued that similar occurrences were recorded during past administrations, stressing it should not be linked to President Bola Tinubu’s reforms.

The Minister, however, sympathised with the families of the deceased, adding that the incidents show the importance of proper crowd management during such charitable activities.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and all those affected by these unfortunate incidents,” the minister said.

While acknowledging the noble intentions of organizers seeking to relieve vulnerable members of society, the minister admonished all individuals and organizations planning similar events to comply with the directive of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on liaising with police formations for effective crowd control and security measures.

He emphasized that collaboration with the police and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is crucial to safeguarding lives and ensuring that such efforts to assist those in need do not inadvertently lead to further distress.

“It is worth noting that similar unfortunate occurrences have been recorded in the past, before the current administration, as such, making any attempt to link these tragedies to the President’s reforms is unfounded and disingenuous,” he said.

Idris said the reforms, while repositioning the Nigerian economy for sustainable growth, are designed to uplift the lives of all Nigerians, particularly the vulnerable, without causing distress.

He called for a collective sense of responsibility and urged citizens to unite to ensure that the Yuletide season is marked by peace, goodwill, and joy and free of preventable tragedies.

No fewer than 10 federal ministries and agencies under their purview got over N1tn each as appropriation in the 2025 budget, The PUNCH analysis has shown.

A breakdown of the proposed allocation, contained in the 2025 Appropriation Bill presented to the National Assembly, showed that the ministries include Police Affairs, Interior, Defence, Finance, Power, Works, and Budget and Economic planning.

Others are the ministries of Niger Delta, Education, and Health.

The proposed budget showed that the finance ministry got the highest allocation of N17.52tn. Majority of this is for salary payment. The amount is an increase of 87.78 per cent or N8.19tn from the N9.33tn allocated in 2023.

This was followed by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, which got an increase of N2.33tn or 52.35 per cent to N6.78tn in the 2025 budget.

Third on the list is the Ministry of Defence with an appropriation of N2.92tn, indicating an increase of N1.34tn or 84.81 per cent. The Ministry of Interior got an allocation of N1.13tn from N461bn in 2024.

While the power ministry got a 510.46 per cent increase to N2.1tn from the N344bn in 2024, the works ministry also got a proposal of N1.14tn from N657.23bn.

Similarly, the Niger Delta ministry got an appropriation of N2.23tn, Education got N2.52tn and health got N1.91tn.

The Senate and the House of Representatives, at their separate plenaries last Thursday,  passed for second reading the N49.7tn ‘Restoration’ 2025 budget presented on Wednesday by President Bola Tinubu.

The budget was passed after various deliberations on the bill’s general principles by senators and House of Reps members who applauded the President for his good intentions for the country.

In the Senate, the budget was passed and referred to the Committee on Appropriations after being put to a voice vote by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, who presided over the session.

The budget has a revenue projection of N34.82tn to fund the aggregate expenditure of N47.9tn and a deficit of N13.0tn.