Respected Nigerian pastor and gospel minister, Nathaniel Bassey, has been invited to minister at the Presidential Inaugural Prayer Breakfast of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on January 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C.

Punch Metro reports that the event, a non-governmental and non-political gathering, will be hosted by Reverend Merrie Turner, ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Donald J. Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance.

Pastor Nathaniel Bassey, affectionately known as “Pastor Nath,” will join an esteemed lineup of speakers and ministers, including Dr. Alveda King, Pastor Mario Bramnick, Revivalist Rebecca Macchi, and Dr. Dominiquae Bierman. The prayer breakfast will take place at the prestigious Waldorf Astoria Presidential Ballroom in Washington, D.C.

On his Instagram, Nathaniel Bassey confirmed his participation, saying, “Let’s raise a sound in America. And let the King of Glory come in. See you. 20th January, 2025.”

In the post, he shared further details about the event, explaining, “The Presidential Prayer Breakfast is a non-official and non-governmental event. It is a faith-based platform where intercessory prayers and worship are offered to God on behalf of the office of the president and the government of the nation. This event is held once every four years, preceding the inauguration ceremony, as a breakfast prayer meeting ahead of every new administration.”

The renowned gospel artist from Akwa Ibom is no stranger to the United States. Punch Metro recalls that in 2024, the Mayor of Albany, New York, declared October 6 as “Pastor Nathaniel Bassey Day” in the city.

In reaction to the honour, Pastor Nath expressed deep gratitude on social media: “Who am I, and what is my Father’s House that the God of all the earth would place such honour on my life? That you would take this small boy from Akwa Ibom state to the ends of the earth. I give Him all the glory. May that day be a Jesus day—a day when men and women come to the knowledge of the glorious gospel of Christ.”

He continued, “My sincere and heartfelt gratitude to the Mayor, Cathy M. Sheehan, and the dear people of Albany, House of Favour Albany, as well as the entire body of Christ in Albany, New York, for this great honour. May Albany shine and stand out as a great city in New York, in Jesus’ name. And to you saints, in this season of divine rewards, may God bestow His honour on you in Jesus’ name.”

Nathaniel Bassey is widely known for his powerful voice and iconic trumpet playing. He recently released an 18-track album titled The River on December 12, 2024. His music ministry began with his debut album Elohim in 2008, and he has since released other beloved works, including Names of God, This God Is Too Good, and Hallelujah Live. His popular songs include Jesus Iye, Yahweh Sabaoth, Book of Life, and Baba We Thank You. He is also the convener of the Hallelujah Challenge, an online, non-denominational praise and worship program that has impacted thousands globally.

Receipts into the federation account grew by 7.48 per cent to N6.86 trillion in the third quarter of 2024, the latest Economic Report by the Central Bank of Nigeria has revealed.

According to the report, the increase in the gross federation account earnings was driven by higher receipts from corporate tax and value-added tax.

The Federal Internal Revenue Service describes corporate tax as a tax levied on the profits made by companies operating in Nigeria. It is regulated by the Companies Income Tax Act under the supervision of the FIRS, while VAT is a tax levied on the consumption of goods and services.

The non-oil revenue was N5.56tn, as oil revenue made up the balance.

The CBN report said, “Gross federation account earnings improved, occasioned by higher receipts from non-oil revenue. At N6.86tn, the provisional gross federation account receipt was 7.48 per cent above the level in the preceding quarter but 23.71 per cent short of the benchmark.

“The increase was due largely to higher receipts from corporate tax and value-added tax. The composition of gross federation revenue showed that non-oil revenue remained dominant, accounting for 81.00 per cent, while oil revenue constituted the balance.

“Non-oil revenue, at N5.56tn, was 19.48 and 50.36 per cent above the levels in the preceding quarter and target, respectively. The increase relative to the preceding quarter was driven largely by higher collections from corporate tax and value-added tax. The increase relative to quarterly targets reflects improved revenue collection relative to budget expectations.”

The apex bank revealed that in the quarter under review, oil revenue, however, fell by 24.72 per cent to N1.30tn, relative to the level in Q2 2024 on account of lower receipts from petroleum profit, taxes, and royalties.

It was also 75.39 per cent short of the quarterly target due to shut-ins arising from ageing oil pipelines and installations.

Meanwhile, from the federally collected revenue of N6.87tn, about N3.92tn was distributed to the three tiers of government.

The federal, state, and local governments received N1.27tn, N1.36tn, and N0.99tn, respectively, while the balance of N0.30tn was allocated to the 13 per cent Derivation Fund for oil-producing states.

As Nigerians join the rest of the world to usher in a New Year, political pundits predict an upward swing in the tempo of political activities ahead of the 2027 general election.

Judging from the outcome of the 2023 presidential election which Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) won, the performance of the three main opposition parties and their candidates stood out.

They are Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Peter Obi (Labour Party) and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso (New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

Perhaps having learnt lessons from their collective defeat, opposition leaders are said to have began consultations in a bid to upstage Tinubu in 2027.

This was confirmed by a former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the APC, Salihu Lukman, an ally of former Kaduna State Governor, Ahmed El-Rufa’i.

Lukman spoke on the subject on New Year’s Day.

He said: “While acknowledging that opposition political leaders, including alienated APC leaders, have commenced negotiations towards producing alternative political platform, it must be also recognised that most Nigerian politicians are not disposed to competitive political culture.

“Largely because most politicians are driven by personal ambitions to contest elections, the default mindset is about imposition and manipulating processes to achieve personal ambitions. This must stop.

“We must remind all our political leaders that if they want to prove their altruistic value and demonstrate strong disposition towards rescuing Nigeria, therefore beyond the pretentious claims of subordinating personal ambitions towards the emergence of the new platform, opposition political leaders should commit themselves to allowing political competition as basis for the emergence of political leaders at all levels”.

The question begging for answers remains, Can any of the leading opposition parties go it alone?

PDP and the trouble within

The chances of the PDP in the 2027 presidential election are uncertain, but its past performance and current challenges are worth considering.

Historically, the PDP has been a dominant political force in Nigeria.

It won every presidential election between 1999 and 2011 until it lost power to the APC in 2015 and have since struggled to bounce back.

Its presidential candidate in the 2023 poll, Atiku, lost to APC’s Bola Tinubu, receiving 29.1 percent of the vote compared to Tinubu’s 36.61 percent.

This, according to some analysts, suggests that the PDP still commands a significant following, but faces strong competition from the APC.

The party is currently struggling with internal conflict which, if left unresolved in 2025, two years ahead of the 2027 polls, could undermine its ability to present a united front at the elections.

Challenger

Atiku’s desire to be President hasn’t changed. He is expected to fight for the party ticket with Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, a potential challenger from the South.

The party also has to contend with the challenge posed by the larger than life influence of Chief Nyesom Wike.

Wike is one PDP leader who not only serves as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), under an APC administration, but has vowed to work for Tinubu’s re-election.

A former National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Kola Ologbondiyan, is optimistic about the party’s chances.

Ologbondiyan said, “Let’s consider facts. Which other party can genuinely boast of our kind of a well-established structure? Which other party enjoys our kind of grassroots organic support?

“It is only in the PDP that you can find a pool of experienced politicians, including former presidents and governors, who have the capacity to provide guidance and support. We have challenges no doubt, but we will overcome them.”

Overall, while the PDP has a chance of winning the 2027 presidential election, it will require careful planning, strategic campaigning, and a bit of luck.

Labour Party’s war of attrition

Just like the PDP, the LP is struggling to recover from leadership crisis.

Although the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee of the party enjoys the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s recognition, critical stakeholders like: the NLC, Peter Obi and the party’s only elected Governor, Alex Otti, reject his leadership.

There is even talk of Obi and co-seeking alternative platforms.

But the National Publicity Secretary of the LP, Obiora Ifoh, said, “Despite the temporary setbacks, our party has suffered with the defection of some of our lawmakers, we have started the rebuilding process.

“Our party will not only recover, we will grow and surpass our 2023 achievements at the polls.”

Romance with APC

Kwankwaso, who is the party’s national leader of the NNPP, is facing an uphill task keeping the party together.

The party boasts of one governor, some senators and members of the Kano State Assembly and members of the House of Representatives, but there is no guarantee that Kwankwaso can prevent the looming defections from the party into the ruling APC.

Whereas the 2027 presidential election in Nigeria is more than two years away, pundits agree that it’s safe to speculate about the chances of Kwankwaso and Peter Obi.

Amid the talks about a potential alliance between the two ahead of 2027, Kwankwaso expressed his willingness recently to serve as Peter Obi’s running mate under certain conditions.

This development is significant, considering their previous discussions about a merger ahead of the 2023 general election which did not materialize.

In the 2023 election, Peter Obi emerged third, securing approximately 6,101,533 votes, while Kwankwaso garnered 1,496,687 votes to emerge fourth.

While these numbers don’t necessarily predict the outcome of the 2027 election, they do indicate that both candidates have a significant following.

Dynamics

A Jos, Plateau State-based political scientist, Dr. Joseph Anuga, said, “If Kwankwaso and Peter Obi were to form an alliance, it could potentially boost their chances. We must note that the dynamics of 2023 may not be the same in 2027.”

Anuga stressed that it was essential to note that Nigerian politics can be unpredictable as various factors, including party dynamics, regional considerations, and voter sentiment ultimately influences the outcome.

Reluctance

Obi, on his part, is trying hard not to be drawn into the 2027 debate and the possibility of a merger or the formation of a mega party.

Commenting on the subject at a media event in Abuja, he said, “On the issue of merger, everybody who means well should come together to get the country to work.

“Let’s build this country. None of us is going to be here forever. For me, what is important today is Nigeria. We are so occupied about election, just as we are so occupied with power capture.”

Kwankwaso also denied the speculation that he and his two fellow opposition leaders had agreed on a formula to defeat Tinubu and share power.

He said, “I heard from a source that PDP brought in scholars – about 45 of them – and claimed that there was a consensus that Atiku will rule for four years and Peter Obi will rule for eight years. This is a complete lie and has no basis in reality”.

Master of the game

With his mastery of the political game, Tinubu and the APC know how to cultivate loyalists.
Apart from the power of incumbency, the President has ensured that those who worked for his victory in 2023 were not only rewarded but kept close.

His loyalists currently control both chambers of the National Assembly as well as all levers of state institutions and instruments of coercion. Former Governors David Umahi (Ebonyi), Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Bello Mattawalle (Zamfara), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) and Mohammed Badaru (Jigawa) have all been rewarded with ministerial posts and are expected to repay this gesture with a repeat performance in 2027.

The President and his party have also been fingered as having more than a passing interest in the crisis in the three major opposition parties.

At this point, it’s difficult to accurately assess their chances, but the potential alliance between Kwankwaso and Peter Obi is certainly an interesting development to watch.

The Director General, DG, Poultry Association of Nigeria, PAN, Dr Onallo Akpa, narrates the losses incurred by poultry farmers during Christmas and New Year celebrations as many Nigerians snubbed chicken purchases for other commodities based on their purchasing power: Excerpts:

 
The preparations of poultry farmers for the Christmas and New Year festivities were highly expectant as, traditionally, there was the belief that Christmas and New Year seasons are periods that every family no matter how poor will be able to afford chicken for the festivals.

Hence, there were heavy investments in broiler production, especially the backyard small-scale poultry producers across the country.

Despite the high cost of Day Old Chicks, DOCs, orchestrated by demands for production for Christmas and the abnormally high cost of poultry feeds, poultry farmers stocked while expecting to sell at Christmas and New Year. There was virtually no family involved in poultry production that never stocked broilers for Christmas – with the expectations that whatever might be the reasons, there will be sales.

Sales and patronage at Christmas and New Year..in contrast to the expectations of most poultry farmers, all they produced could not be sold. Surprisingly, over 50 per cent of broilers produced for sale at Christmas could not be sold because of the low purchasing power of the people.

Families are striving to see how they can get any kind of food for their families, and therefore, the luxury of poultry meat as protein was not a consideration during Christmas and New Year. Poultry farmers who thought of making little profit at Christmas and New Year, are, at the moment, lamenting the losses they incurred.

A random survey of our communities at the moment reveals the presence of unsold broilers.The problems of poultry farmers are compounded as they cannot continue to feed the birds as that will amount to additional cost of production in the absence of patronage.

The resultant effect of the development is that the livelihoods of the family who have had their sustenance on small family poultry production is being eroded while farmers are losing confidence in the business, leading to the closure of poultry farms all over the country. The challenge at the moment is that of the extremely high cost of production and induced purchasing power of the people.

Mr Arube Otor, the Delta State musician who recently went viral over his plan to marry three women on the same day, to make his wives four, does not plan on stopping anytime soon. 

The Isoko musician who said he was motivated by his father who equally had three wives when he was alive said he hopes to add two more to his entourage. 

Asked why he chose to marry three women on the same day, he said, “What inspired me to decide to marry three women on the same day is rooted in my father’s example. When my father was alive, he married three women, and the remarkable thing was that when these women had children, you couldn’t tell which woman gave birth to which child. We lived together, ate together, and played together. This experience, growing up in such a unified family, greatly influenced my decision to marry three additional women.

“The reason I decided to marry them on the same day is because of the deep love the three women share for one another. They genuinely care for each other, and I could see the unity among them. This made it easier for me to decide that I would marry them on the same day, as they support one another in every way. I still have two pending. I plan to marry two more wives to make it a total of six.”

He said his first wife has no issue with him marrying more wives, and she, alongside his grown-up children, are all looking forward to the ceremony billed for January 19.

President Bola Tinubu has again justified the removal of fuel subsidy by his administration and labelled it a “necessary” move to secure the country’s future.

Speaking during a visit to Enugu State on Saturday, Tinubu insisted that the removal of the fuel subsidy is needed to build a better Nigeria.

The President stated that he was aware that people would insult him for his decision but added that he has confidence in himself and would stay the course.

He said, “You are all a member of one big, huge family called Nigeria but living in different rooms in the same house. This house, we must build it. Build it to satisfy our immediate need which is not going to be enough yet but for tomorrow too.

“That is why the removal of the first subsidy was necessary.

“You cannot spend the future of generations yet unborn in advance. Don’t bankrupt the nation before they are born. I know people will fight, grumble, abuse me, and everything but I asked for the job. I know what it takes. I believe in myself and I believe I can gather a very good team and build a nation.”

He subsequently urged Nigerians to show love for the country and shun negative comments about it.

“It is our country. We have to work really hard for it; to build a nation that we can be proud of. Change the narrative; negative comment about Nigeria? I’m not taking that! I’m very proud of Nigeria. You all should be proud of Nigeria,” he told the gathering which included Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, government functionaries, and other dignitaries present at the event.

Some of the projects the president commissioned during the visit to the Coal State are the multi-auditorium and multi-functional Enugu International Conference Centre; state-of-the-art command and control Centre/150 patrol vehicles fitted with AI-embedded surveillance cameras at the Government House

Industry experts on Saturday, predicted a significant reduction in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, in 2025, with prices potentially dropping below ₦500 per litre.

The current price of petrol ranges between ₦900 and ₦950 per litre across various fuel stations.

The anticipated price drop is attributed to a robust downstream sector driven by the Federal Government’s deregulation policy, stable foreign exchange rates, and increased domestic refining capacity.

Key Factors Driving Price Reduction

Increased Local Refining Capacity: The commencement of operations at the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, alongside the Dangote Refinery, is expected to boost local production and reduce dependence on imports.

The Dangote Refinery currently injects seven million litres of petrol daily into the domestic market.

The Port Harcourt Refinery, which began operations over a month ago, produces 1.4 million litres of petrol daily.

The Warri Refinery, operating at 60% capacity, focuses on producing kerosene, diesel, and naphtha.

Deregulation of the Downstream Sector: The deregulation policy has introduced competition among producers, driving prices lower.

Industry experts, who spoke to Saturday Sun, noted that petrol, which currently sells for between ₦900 and ₦950 in many fuel stations, may have its price further crashing to as low as ₦500 a litre in the course of the year.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Ukadike Chinedu, in an interview with Saturday Sun, said the entry of multiple players is already fostering healthy price competition.

He noted that the Federal Government’s policy of selling crude oil to refineries in exchange for payment in naira is expected to reduce inflation and ease foreign exchange pressures.

Chinedu highlighted the reduction in fuel prices by major players, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Dangote Refinery, as evidence of the benefits of multiple production sources.

With improved market conditions, modular refineries, which currently produce only diesel, are planning to add petrol refining to their operations. There are 25 licensed modular refineries in Nigeria, five of which are currently in operation.

He said, “As you can see, NNPC has reduced its ex- depot price from ₦1, 045 per litre to ₦899 per litre for marketers, translating to ₦925 per litre at the pumps for the end users. This, I must say, is very commendable. These are not small drops, but massive drops from ₦1, 045 to ₦899 ex- depot is a lot of drop.”

On the other hand, he said the Dangote refinery equally implemented a similar ex-depot price slash from ₦970 to ₦899.50 per litre.

He pointed out that with the consistent availability of petroleum products, competition will set in and prices of petroleum products will drop further in the New Year.

The Publicity Secretary of Crude Oil Refiners Association of Nigeria (CORAN), Iche Idoko, while giving his take, said Nigerians would gradually begin to witness the gains, which is typical of a deregulated market.

He said, “Price drop is one of the characteristics of deregulation we had highlighted. As the industry settles in to the regime of full deregulation, we are bound to see competitions amongst players, which ultimately will benefit the consumers.”

According to him, these competitions will be around prices, product quality, and credit lines available to bulk buyers.

Victor Osimhen displayed a jersey with birthday messages for the twin sons of Tony Elumelu, the Nigerian business tycoon. 

Osimhen scored the game’s first goal in Galatasaray’s 2-1 win over Goztepe at RAMS Park on Saturday.

The goal came in the tenth minute as the 26-year-old began the year with a clinically executed penalty that sent Mateusz Lis, Goztepe’s goalkeeper, the wrong way.

The strike was Osimhen’s 10th league goal for Galatasaray since joining the Turkish team in mid-2024.

While celebrating the goal, the striker called for a customised Galatarasay jersey from the bench. He then posed in front of cameras with the jersey displaying a “Happy birthday, Tony and Toby”.

Reacting to the gesture in a tweet on X, Galatasaray joined in the celebration of the boys adding the club is “not sure who they are”.

However, Elumelu revealed the message was directed to his twin sons.

In a tweet on X, Elumelu added that Osimhen had, a week before, promised to celebrate the twins’ 10th birthday when he scores.

“Throwback to last week when Victor Osimhen promised the T-Men to dedicate his next goal as their 10th birthday gift—and, as always, he delivered in style,” the tweet reads.

Galatasaray are top of the Turkish league with 11 points ahead of Fenerbache in second.

Frank Edoho says he was almost removed as the host of the game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (WWTBAM) due to allegations of domestic violence.

Edoho was previously married to Katherine Obiang for seven years. They have three children together.

The TV host recounted his relationship with his ex-wife in an interview on WithChude podcast on Saturday.

He described his marriage to Katherine as a “mismatch”, adding that they are both to blame for the relationship’s challenges.

Edoho said rumours of domestic violence began to circulate after their separation, which jeopardised his career as the host of the show.

“My ex-wife was my friend and there were children involved. I think ours was a mismatch, I was young. When she got pregnant I had cold feet but I still got married. It lasted seven years and in 2010, I left. Three years after I remarried,” he said.

“Being friends with the opposite sex doesn’t mean you should get married because that’s a different ball game. In hindsight, maybe I should have thought about it a bit more.

“She was my good friend but I think it was love too. I also think we didn’t look at each other very well before we delved into it. I’m not going to say it was only her fault, it was my fault too but not in the way people were depicting it.

“That was one of the times I was very depressed but I couldn’t say anything. The first crisis happened in 2007 but I still stayed on for three years, then it got to a head in 2010 and I left.

“When I left I was still doing Who Wants to be a Millionaire, then all of a sudden I was in the UK and my boss called me and told me to come back to Lagos because the sponsors are hearing things about me.

“They said I’m not going to present this show anymore because of those rumours. I got on a flight the following morning to attend a meeting with them.

“Luckily, my boss knew everything because I’d been telling him about the altercations between us. I was also thinking about my children. They said I committed domestic violence and I’m a wife-beater.

“After listening to them, I told them I’ll tell them everything starting from when I was dating. By the time I reached marriage and the birth of my son and first daughter, two of the ladies were crying.

“I was giving accounts of everything that happened and I told them that I have receipts. I said nobody divorced me, I took my suitcase and left the marriage.”

Frank Edoho tied the knot with his second wife Sandra Onyenuchenuya on April 2, 2014.

They have two children together.

Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has announced a petrol subsidy program targeted at farmers in communities severely affected by Boko Haram insurgency.

The initiative aims to alleviate economic hardships and boost agricultural productivity.

Zulum made the announcement on Friday evening in Bama town during the distribution of farm inputs to over 5,000 farmers previously displaced by insurgents.

The governor revealed that petrol, which sells for between ₦1,000 and ₦1,200 per litre in Maiduguri, will be sold to farmers at a subsidised rate of ₦600 per litre.

Zulum said, “One of the major challenges facing the farming communities here as regards irrigation farming is the increasing cost of fuel.

“Henceforth, for irrigation farmers this season, a litre of petrol will be sold at the rate of ₦600.”

Zulum directed the Commissioner for Agriculture to collaborate with the Brigade Commander to ensure the prompt delivery of the subsidised petrol to farmers in Bama town.

Farm Inputs Distribution

In addition to the fuel subsidy, Zulum distributed critical farm inputs, including:

– 2,000 bags of blended NPK fertiliser;

– 1,000 water pumps;

– 620 gasoline pumps;

– 380 solar water pumps;

– 1,000 sprayers;

– 800 rolls of 2-inch flexible hose;

– 1,000 litres of pesticides;

– Seeds for various crops.

The governor highlighted that over 100 tube wells have already been constructed for irrigation farmers, with plans underway to build 250 more.

Resettlement Efforts And Reconstruction

Zulum also visited Darajama and Goniri villages in Bama Local Government Area to inspect ongoing reconstruction efforts.

Expressing satisfaction with the quality of work, he reiterated his administration’s commitment to resettling displaced communities and warned against any attempts to sabotage the initiative.

The governor extended gratitude to the federal government for its support in facilitating the resettlement and reconstruction of insurgency-affected communities.