Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has taken a swipe at the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), saying the party should have expelled him. El-Rufai, who recently defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), dismissed his former party, stating that he had lost faith in its direction. Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa Service, the former governor declared that the APC had deviated from its founding principles, making his departure inevitable. “Well, it would have been better for me if they expelled me. I have stated many times that APC would be my last political party,”…

The faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has adjourned its plenary indefinitely, a move that further complicates the ongoing political standoff in the state. The decision was reached during a plenary session at the assembly quarters in Port Harcourt on Friday, coming just a day after Governor Siminalayi Fubara wrote to the assembly requesting a date for the presentation of the 2025 appropriation bill. In a letter dated March 13 and personally signed by Fubara, the governor proposed Wednesday or any other convenient date within March for…

Popular Nigerian singer, Abdulazeez Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, has sparked religious debate with his recent statement on Jesus Christ. The controversial artist asserted that a Muslim who does not believe in Jesus is not a true adherent of Islam. “No Muslim is a Muslim if he does not believe in Jesus (Peace be upon him),” he wrote on his X handle. Naira Marley, who has been vocal about religious matters since the commencement of Ramadan, has continued to share his views on faith, drawing reactions from followers. His latest remark ignited discussions among Christians and Muslims, with many…

A new report by the Lagos State Ministry of Planning and Budget has revealed that most jobseekers in Lagos possess only a Senior Secondary School Certificate (SSCE), while just 27.72% hold a bachelor’s degree. PLATFORM TIMES reports that the findings, published in The Lagos Economic Development Update (LEDU) 2025, highlight a significant skills gap in the state’s labour market, where a large percentage of jobseekers lack the educational qualifications required for higher-skilled roles. According to the report, 41.8% of Lagos jobseekers have SSCE as their highest qualification, making them the largest category of job seekers. Those with a bachelor’s degree…

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has suspended the enforcement of its judgment that had nullified a Federal High Court ruling against the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano. A three-man panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Okong Abang, delivered the ruling on Friday, pending the final determination of the Kano Emirate dispute by the Supreme Court. The legal battle stems from the controversial passage of the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law 2024, which restructured the traditional leadership system in the state. Sanusi’s reinstatement followed the repeal of the 2019 Emirate Council Law,…

Daud Olatunji Nigerian Breweries Plc., in partnership with the Ogun State Government and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), has intensified efforts in restoring the Olokemeji Forest Reserve through a reforestation initiative aimed at enhancing biodiversity, water retention, and climate resilience. PLATFORM TIMES reports that the initiative, which aligns with Nigerian Breweries’ sustainability goals, has already seen the restoration of 292 hectares of land, with the planting of 283,904 trees spanning over 70 indigenous species such as African Breadfruit (Ukwa) and Araba. A statement issued from the Nigerian Breweries PLC, a f.amde available to PLATFORM TIMES, read that unlike…

The Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) has unveiled its 2025 Annual National Food Intervention Project, committing N16 billion to distribute food to one million Nigerians nationwide. PLATFORM TIMES reports that the initiative, officially launched on Thursday in Kano State, aims to mitigate the ongoing economic hardship and food insecurity across the country. Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, ADF Chairman Aliko Dangote, represented by his daughter, Marya Dangote, emphasized the foundation’s resolve to support the government in tackling hunger. She disclosed that the project involves distributing one million bags of 10kg rice to the poor and most vulnerable Nigerians across the 774…

A witness, simply identified as “ABC,” on Friday, told the Federal High Court in Abuja how the notorious bandit kingpin, Kachalla Halilu, purchased a gun truck from Niger Republic to perpetrate their terrorist act in Nigeria. ABC, who is the 1st prosecution witness (PW-1) in the ongoing trial of four suspects also linked to fleeing bandit leader, Bello Turji, made the revelation while being led in evidence by Federal Government’s lawyer, David Kaswe, before Justice Emeka Nwite. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the four suspected terrorists were, on Dec. 23, 2024, arraigned on 11 counts bordering on…

Former President Muhammadu Buhari has reaffirmed his commitment to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring that he remains a loyal member of the party. Buhari made this known in a statement posted on X by his spokesperson, Garba Shehu, on Thursday, amid ongoing discussions about a potential political coalition ahead of the 2027 presidential election. His remark comes in the wake of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai’s defection from the APC to the Social Democratic Party (SDP). El-Rufai had claimed in a BBC Hausa interview that he consulted Buhari before making the switch, stating that the former president…

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Finance, James Faleke (APC-Lagos), has assured Nigerians that the tax reform bills will produce widely acceptable laws. Faleke gave this assurance on Thursday after the House considered and adopted the report on the four tax reform bills during its session in Abuja. The bills include the Nigerian Tax Bill, the Tax Administration Bill, the Revenue Tax Board Bill, and the Nigerian Revenue Service Establishment Bill. “These bills underwent three full days of public hearings, with input from over 80 key stakeholders. Afterward, we held an eight-day retreat to debate each clause.…