Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Fawaz Adebisi The Nigerian Senate today approved amendments to the Electoral Act, mandating the electronic transmission of polling unit results to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC’s Result Viewing Portal, IReV. The decision, which comes after days of public outcry and protests, includes a provision for manual collation as a fallback in cases of technical failures, such as network disruptions. The amended Clause 60(3) requires presiding officers at each polling unit to electronically transmit results after Form EC8A has been completed, signed, and stamped by INEC officials and party agents where available. However, if electronic transmission is hindered by communication…

The Grand Chief Imam of Lagos, Shaykh (Engr.) Sulaimon Oluwatoyin Abou Nolla, has said Muslims in Lagos State will commence and end this year’s Ramadan fasting strictly in line with the official declaration of the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar. In a video message monitored in Lagos on Tuesday, the Chief Imam urged Muslims to remain patient and await the Sultan’s announcement on the sighting of the new moon, describing the directive as binding and essential for unity among the faithful. “As we did it in previous years,…

The Grand Chief Imam of Oyo Kingdom, Sheikh (Barrister) Bilal Husayn Akinola Akeugberu, has reaffirmed that Muslims in Oyo Land will continue to recognise and follow the leadership of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, on all Islamic matters. The cleric stated this against the backdrop of what he described as attempts by “divisive elements” to politicise religious leadership and sow discord within the Nigerian Muslim Ummah, particularly in parts of the South-West. Akeugberu said the position of Muslims in Oyo Land remains firmly rooted in Islamic teachings and tradition, stressing that unity under a recognised leadership is…

Daud Olatunji Experts and policymakers from across Nigeria’s public and private sectors will on Tuesday converge in Abeokuta, Ogun State, to examine how engineering and urban planning can be deployed to strengthen national security. PLATFORM TIMES reports that the  discourse will take place at the 12th Waheed Kadiri Lecture Series organised by the Ogun State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), with the theme, “Designing Safer Nigeria: Engineering, Planning and the Fight Against Insecurity.” PLATFORM TIMES further reports that the  event is scheduled for 11am at the Ogun Pensioners Hall, opposite Waheed Kadiri House, along Moshood Abiola…

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has dismissed claims circulating on social media that it has secretly banned the sale and use of Amoxicillin in Nigeria, describing the report as false and misleading. In a press release posted on its X handle, the agency said there was no truth in the viral video suggesting that the widely used antibiotic had been withdrawn from the Nigerian market, stressing that no such regulatory action had been taken. “NAFDAC has not banned Amoxicillin in Nigeria, either secretly or openly,” the agency stated, adding that any regulatory action affecting…

Egbin Power Plc has launched a technology-driven empowerment programme aimed at equipping young people from its host communities of Egbin, Ijede and Ipakan with critical digital skills to boost employability, entrepreneurship and access to opportunities in Nigeria’s growing digital economy. The initiative, which forms part of the company’s Personal Corporate Social Responsibility (PCSR) framework, brings together beneficiaries from the three communities for intensive training in ICT fundamentals, graphic design, full-stack web development, digital marketing, cybersecurity and data analytics, combining classroom instruction with hands-on learning. Speaking at the launch, the Chief Executive Officer, Mokhtar Bounour, said the programme reflected Egbin Power’s…

A group of visually-impaired job applicants has accused the Lagos State Local Government Civil Service Commission of systematically excluding qualified candidates from its ongoing recruitment exercise. The affected applicants, organized under the Lagos chapter of the Nigeria Association of the Blind (NAB), said they successfully sat for and passed the online aptitude tests and were scheduled for physical screening in October 2025. However, they claim they were turned away on the screening day and have not received any follow-up communication since. In a letter signed by NAB Secretary Isaiah Daniel and Chairperson of the Skill Acquisition and Employment Committee, Oluwakemi…

… Senate Panel Says Trillions Could Return To Federal Coffers …States Now Empowered To Generate Electricity Independently …Removal Seen As Critical Step In 2026 Budget Reforms Daud Olatunji Members of the Senate Committee on Appropriations have called for the full removal of the electricity subsidy, describing it as a significant drain on federal finances. The lawmakers made the recommendation on Monday during a public hearing on the 2026 budget proposal at the National Assembly. Chairman of the committee, Senator Adeola Olamilekan (Ogun West), said the subsidy has become a major fiscal burden despite reforms in the power sector and the…

Cocoa stakeholders across Nigeria have threatened to stage peaceful protests following the mysterious disappearance of the Executive Cocoa Board Bill from the National Assembly’s legislative agenda. The Cocoa Roundtable Initiative (CORI), an umbrella body representing local and global cocoa interests, said the bill, which was transmitted to the House of Representatives on November 10, 2025, and the Senate on November 13, has yet to receive legislative attention. In a statement signed by Adeola Adegoke, Director-General of CORI, the delay, coupled with the unexplained disappearance of the bill, threatens the sustainability of Nigeria’s cocoa industry. Adegoke also serves as the National…

Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, has blamed delays in federal fund releases for the poor implementation of his ministry’s 2025 capital projects. Speaking on Monday during the 2026 budget defence before the House of Representatives Committee on Healthcare Services, Pate revealed that while personnel costs were fully funded and utilised, capital expenditure faced severe setbacks. According to the minister, the ministry received just N36 million of the N218 billion approved for capital projects in 2025, leaving most planned infrastructure and health programmes unimplemented. Pate explained that delays in meeting counterpart funding obligations also hindered access to…