The National President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, has denied allegations that he failed to pay Nollywood actors who participated in President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 election campaign.

MC Oluomo described the allegations as false and misleading, insisting that he funded the campaign with his personal money.

Some Nollywood stars, including Fatai Adetayo (Lalude), Ronke Oshodi-Oke, and Ganiu Nafiu (Alapini), had accused the NURTW boss of failing to fulfil financial promises allegedly made to them during the campaign for Tinubu and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Lalude, in an episode of the Beyond the Fame podcast, claimed that Oluomo had promised him and other entertainers N1.5m each but failed to pay after the campaign ended.

According to him, the group camped for over seven weeks, campaigning daily “without proper compensation.”

“At first, they gave us N10,000 daily for feeding, but even that was abruptly stopped. We trekked long distances every day while MC Oluomo followed in his car. In the end, we were completely abandoned,” the actor alleged.

But reacting to the allegations, MC Oluomo said he had no reason to deny anyone their entitlements, insisting he personally funded the campaign and spent millions of naira accommodating and supporting the entertainers.

The NURTW boss spoke during an interview with broadcaster and film producer, Kola Olootu, which was posted on YouTube on Friday.

“I saw all their allegation videos, but I did not respond to them. All I know is that we did Tinubu’s campaign together, and anyone among them who did not get something out of the campaign should come out and say it.

“Nobody gave me money; I used my money to fund the campaign for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu because Tinubu is next to God and my mother in my life.

“I booked 140 hotel rooms for them during the campaign and paid ₦45,000 per room every day. I gave them money every day till the end of the campaign, and they spent two to three months in the hotel. Wouldn’t someone who spent ten days lodged in a hotel and did not get any monetary gain have left?

“They even organised a birthday party for me. I came back from the U.S., and people told me that I should visit them in their hotel. When I got there, they surprised me with a birthday party.

“I used my personal funds for Tinubu’s campaign, and we will still do it again for the 2027 election. I won’t be discouraged by their allegations because I’m totally for Tinubu, and my priority is Tinubu’s victory in 2027,” MC Oluomo said.

Speaking on his long-standing disagreement with former NURTW National President, Tajudeen Baruwa, MC Oluomo explained that while the former once supported his rise within the union, their relationship later broke down despite several reconciliation efforts.

He said, “Baruwa is my boss. When I wanted to become the state chairman, he was the one that installed and swore me in. He was the national president at that time. Along the line, we had a disagreement, but the governor tried to resolve the issue. The chief of staff and popular fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde, were at the meeting. I prostrated before Baruwa that day. But the following week afterwards, Baruwa invited us to Abuja and said the governor had no say in the union’s affairs. The next thing he did was to suspend me.”

Oluomo added that Baruwa also failed to attend reconciliation meetings called by the Nigeria Labour Congress to resolve the crisis.

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The Federal Government has rejected remarks by United States President Donald Trump alleging widespread killings of Christians in the country and declaring Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern.”

In a statement issued on Saturday morning by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, the government said the claims do not reflect the situation on the ground.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria notes the recent remarks by US President Donald Trump alleging large-scale killings of Christians in Nigeria and calling for the country’s designation as a ‘Country of Particular Concern.’

“These claims do not reflect the situation on the ground. Nigerians of all faiths have long lived, worked, and worshipped together peacefully,” the ministry said.

The government noted that while it “appreciates global concern for human rights and religious freedom,” the allegations were inaccurate.

Under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, the statement continued, Nigeria “remains committed to fighting terrorism, strengthening interfaith harmony, and protecting the lives and rights of all its people.”

The ministry emphasised that Nigeria would “continue to engage constructively with the Government of the United States to deepen mutual understanding of regional dynamics and the country’s ongoing peace and security efforts.”

On Friday night, Trump announced in a Truth Social post later shared on the White House’s X handle that he had designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern,” citing what he described as an existential threat to Christianity in the country.

“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter.

“I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘Country of particular concern’ — But that is the least of it,” Trump said.

Citing alarming figures, the US president added, “When Christians, or any such group, is slaughtered like is happening in Nigeria (3,100 versus 4,476 Worldwide), something must be done!”

Trump called on key members of Congress to take immediate action.

“I am asking Congressman Riley Moore, together with Chairman Tom Cole and the House Appropriations Committee, to immediately look into this matter, and report back to me,” he said.

“The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other countries.

“We stand ready, willing, and able to save our Great Christian population around the world!,” Trump added.

Last month, US lawmaker Riley Moore urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to take diplomatic action against what he described as the “systematic persecution and slaughter of Christians” in Nigeria, calling the country “the deadliest place in the world to be a Christian.”

Moore also called for the suspension of arms sales to Nigeria until the government demonstrates a tangible commitment to ending the violence.

“Nigeria has become the deadliest place in the world to be a Christian, and the United States cannot stand idly by,” he wrote.

Meanwhile, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, speaking to CNN earlier in the week, rejected claims that Nigerian terrorists specifically target Christians.

“Some of the claims made by some officials of the United States are based on faulty data and some assumptions that the victims of this violence are largely Christians.

“Yes, there are Christians being attacked, but these criminals do not just target one religion. They target Christians. They also target Muslims. We have seen that especially in the northern part of the country,” the minister noted.

In a related development, the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, during a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, called for stronger protection of vulnerable communities and greater accountability in addressing violence across the country.

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