Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Zainab Abioye Top health officials in Ogun State have commended oncology nurses at Jacaranda Cancer Centre, Abeokuta, for their dedication to cancer care, describing their role as emotionally demanding but critical to patient survival and recovery. The officials gave the commendation during a Nurses Week celebration organised by the private specialist facility, which they said set a benchmark for recognising frontline health workers in the state. Speaking at the event, the Director of Nursing Services, Ogun State Ministry of Health, Dr Sherifat Omobolanle Aminu, noted that the centre distinguished itself as the first private health facility in the state this…

Members of the All Progressives Congress in Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun State on Monday staged a peaceful protest over the alleged refusal of party leaders to issue them membership cards, raising concerns over their participation in future party primaries. The aggrieved members, who gathered at the party secretariat in Ijaye, Abeokuta, also accused some leaders of plotting to impose candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections, alleging that the delay in issuing membership cards was a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise them. Carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Give Us Our Membership Cards,” “We Don’t Want Imposition,” and…

Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board statistics released on Monday have shown that Lagos State University (LASU) is the most preferred institution among candidates seeking admission in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. The figures, unveiled at the ongoing policy meeting in Abuja, indicate that LASU recorded 84,426 first-choice applications, accounting for 3.76 per cent of the total number of applicants nationwide. University of Lagos (UNILAG) ranked second with 78,240 applications, while Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) placed third with 60,370 applicants. Further breakdown showed that University of Ibadan secured the fourth position with 58,895 applications, closely followed by University of Benin,…

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has retained 150 as the minimum cut-off mark for admission into Nigerian universities for the 2026/2027 academic session. The decision was reached on Monday at the board’s annual policy meeting on admissions held in Abuja, where key stakeholders, including vice-chancellors and heads of tertiary institutions, deliberated on admission guidelines. JAMB said the benchmark was adopted after extensive consultations and a voting process involving participating institutions, adding that universities are expected to admit candidates who score at least 150 in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. The board also approved 150 as the minimum admissible score…

Blackmail, emotional manipulation, and orchestrated media outrage will never replace accountability. No amount of sensational propaganda can erase the serious questions surrounding the management of trust and collective resources freely entrusted to you, Gov. Hope Uzodinma. The issue before Nigerians and indeed before members of the Progressive Governors Forum is simple and straightforward: funds entrusted to your leadership for collective purposes are now allegedly incapable of proper accounting. This is not persecution. It is not betrayal. It is not factional warfare. It is the most elementary demand of leadership — accountability for trust given. The Progressive Governors Forum is not…

Former Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, has expressed grief over the death of the Chief Imam of Yewaland, Sikirullah Babalola, describing the late Islamic cleric as a symbol of unity and peace. Babalola, who was also the President of the League of Imams and Alfas in Ogun State, died on Saturday at the age of 98. In a condolence message issued on Sunday, Amosun said the cleric’s passing was a monumental loss not only to the Muslim community in Yewaland but also to the entire Ogun State and beyond. He noted that the late nonagenarian devoted his life to…

The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has explained that the decision to exempt candidates seeking admission into Education and Agriculture-related non-engineering courses from the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination is aimed at boosting enrolment and addressing critical manpower gaps in the sectors. Oloyede disclosed this on Monday during the board’s ongoing policy meeting on the 2026 admission exercise, noting that the move forms part of broader reforms to reposition Nigeria’s education and agricultural systems. The board had earlier announced via its official X handle that candidates seeking admission into Education programmes and Agriculture non-engineering courses…

The National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, Rauf Aregbesola, on Sunday dismissed speculations of a possible return to the All Progressives Congress, declaring that he has “no reason” to rejoin the ruling party. Aregbesola, a former governor of Osun State, spoke at a stakeholders’ meeting of the African Democratic Congress held in Ilesa, where he also criticised the APC-led Federal Government over worsening economic conditions. He said the current leadership of the APC had deviated from the founding ideals of the party, accusing it of failing in its core responsibility to ensure the welfare and security of citizens. “I…

The political future of Siminalayi Fubara was thrown into fresh uncertainty on Sunday after he abruptly walked out of the screening exercise organised by the All Progressives Congress in Abuja. Fubara, who arrived at the venue—Plateau State Governors’ Lodge—at about 3:15pm, was said to have left moments later in visible anger, sparking speculation over a possible disagreement with members of the screening committee. Sources at the venue indicated that the governor might not have completed the screening process before his sudden exit, although details of what transpired remained unclear as of press time. The development has heightened concerns over Fubara’s…

The National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, Bolaji Abdullahi, has accused President Bola Tinubu of allegedly orchestrating the creation of the Nigeria Democratic Congress to weaken opposition forces ahead of the 2027 general elections. Abdullahi made the allegation while reacting to the defection of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso from the ADC-led coalition to the newly formed NDC, describing their exit as a major setback but not fatal to the opposition’s chances. He claimed the development had inadvertently strengthened the ruling All Progressives Congress, noting that the emergence of multiple opposition platforms could split votes and boost Tinubu’s…