Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, has revealed that he was ridiculed and rejected because of his albinism during the build-up to the 2023 governorship election. Eno, who spoke in a video shared on his verified X handle on Thursday, said his skin condition was weaponised by political opponents to discredit him and dampen his chances at the polls. “Some people who had nothing else to say told the world that they did not want an albino governor. But my wife stood by me and said, ‘To me, you are my golden boy,’” Eno recalled. The governor, who…

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has launched a fresh attack on Nigeria’s judiciary, accusing judges of turning the courts into marketplaces where justice is sold to the highest bidder. In his new book, Nigeria: Past and Future, published by the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), the former leader lamented what he described as the “precipitous fall” of judicial integrity since the return of democracy in 1999. According to him, the courts have drifted from their constitutional role, becoming what he called a “court of corruption rather than a court of justice.” “The reputation of the Nigerian judiciary has steadily gone down…

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has alerted Nigerians to the circulation of counterfeit Cowbell “Our Milk” sachets, warning that consumption of the fake product poses serious health risks. In a statement issued on Friday, the agency explained that Promasidor Nigeria Limited, the official producer of Cowbell milk, had stopped manufacturing the “Our Milk” variant since September 2023, replacing it with Cowbell “Our Creamy Goodness.” Despite this, unscrupulous producers have flooded the market with counterfeit 12g sachets mimicking the discontinued packaging, complete with the Cowbell brand name, NAFDAC registration number, and official design. “These counterfeit…

…VAT rises by ₦9bn, statutory revenue drops by ₦415bn The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) on Friday said it disbursed a total of ₦2 trillion to the federal, state and local governments for July 2025. The allocation followed the committee’s monthly meeting in Abuja, chaired by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun. According to a communiqué issued by the Ministry of Finance’s Director of Information, Muhammed Manga, the shared funds were drawn from statutory revenue, Value Added Tax (VAT), the Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), and exchange difference. From the disbursement, the federal government…

Former Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola, has congratulated Comrade Akeem Abiodun Lasisi on his re-election as Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Ogun State. Lasisi was returned unopposed on Thursday, August 21, 2025, following the overwhelming support of delegates who endorsed his leadership for another term. In a congratulatory message personally signed by him, Isola described the victory as a testimony to the confidence Ogun workers repose in Lasisi’s leadership style, which he said has been people-driven and purposeful. According to the diplomat, the renewed mandate represents not just a ballot victory but…

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State has accused Governor Dapo Abiodun of vindictiveness after a 500KVA transformer donated to Itun Moro community in Ikenne by its governorship candidate in the 2023 election, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, was allegedly removed by state officials. PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the transformer, presented to the community on August 6, 2025, by the Ladi Adebutu Development Organisation (LADO), was meant to end over four years of blackout in the area. However, the PDP alleged that operatives of the Abiodun-led administration stormed the community on Thursday, August 21, and attempted to cart  away the equipment,…

…Says Arrested bandits, Oil Thieves Often Regain Freedom The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has blamed Nigeria’s weak and slow-paced judicial system for frustrating military operations and worsening insecurity across the country. Speaking during a Channels Television interview, Musa lamented that the inability of the courts to speedily prosecute terrorism, banditry, and organised crime cases was demoralising troops and emboldening criminals. He decried situations where soldiers risk their lives to arrest high-profile suspects only for them to be released on technical grounds or handed minor penalties. “When people know they can get away with anything, impunity sets in…

.. Empowerment Gulps Over One-Third … Education, Health, Infrastructure Neglected The Federal Government has approved over ₦100 billion for Zonal Intervention Projects (ZIP), popularly called constituency projects, in the 2025 national budget, with Ogun, Kano, and Akwa Ibom states emerging as the biggest beneficiaries. Figures from the Budget Office of the Federation and tracked by civic group TrackaNG show that Ogun State leads the pack with ₦8.44 billion, followed by Kano (₦6.46bn) and Akwa Ibom (₦5.34bn). Together, the three states cornered ₦20.2 billion, representing more than 20 percent of the entire ZIP allocation. Other states with significant allocations include Abia…

The Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN) has disclosed that the country’s production of gold, limestone, and bitumen is on the rise, contributing to economic growth and creating new jobs across the nation. The National President of MAN, Dele Ayankale, made this known on Thursday in Abuja during a press briefing to inaugurate the 10th edition of Nigeria Mining Week, scheduled to hold from October 15 to 17. The 2025 edition, themed “Mining from Progress to Global Relevance,” is being organised by MAN in collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and VUKA Group. Ayankale attributed the improved output in the sector to policy…

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has issued a fresh warning to residents of flood-prone communities in Oyo State, urging them to immediately relocate to safer grounds as heavy rains threaten massive flooding. The agency’s South-West Zonal Head of Operations, Kadiri Olanrewaju, gave the directive on Thursday during a stakeholders’ roundtable on flood preparedness and response held in Ibadan. Olanrewaju said the warning followed forecasts by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), which predicted intense rainfall across several parts of Oyo State in the coming weeks. According to him, at least six local governments including Ona-Ara, Lagelu and Surulere have been…