Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Uchechi Kanu, wife of the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has said that the apologies tendered on behalf of her husband in court are yielding positive results. Kanu’s lead counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN), had on Friday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, apologised to Justice Binta Nyako, the prosecution team, and the defendant’s legal representatives, acknowledging past outbursts by the IPOB leader. In a statement shared with journalists, Uchechi Kanu commended Agabi’s approach, describing him as “a towering figure” whose intervention was necessary to ease tensions in the courtroom and facilitate dialogue. She explained…

The Federal Government has reiterated that tuberculosis (TB) is not caused by spiritual forces but by bacteria, emphasizing that it is both preventable and curable. Deputy Director of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme, Dr. Urhioke Ochuko, made this clarification on Saturday during a road show and awareness walk in Abuja to commemorate the upcoming World TB Day on March 24. Themed “Yes! We can end TB: Commit, invest, and deliver,” the event aimed at raising awareness about the disease and mobilizing resources for its eradication. Ochuko stressed the need for early detection and treatment, urging individuals experiencing symptoms…

Morenikeji Adebayo Pharmacists across Nigeria have called for stricter penalties, including life imprisonment, for individuals involved in the peddling of counterfeit and illicit drugs, citing the severe health risks posed to the public. Their demand comes in response to a surge in the circulation of substandard and falsified medicines, which the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) recently cracked down on. Within six weeks, the agency evacuated over 100 truckloads of banned and fake drugs from major markets in Lagos, Onitsha, and Aba. NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, warned that if such drugs remained in circulation,…

Former Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, has dismissed the chances of a coalition led by opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, to defeat President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 elections. Shekarau argued that the emerging alliance is merely a gathering of individuals with political ambitions rather than a structured political movement capable of challenging the APC’s dominance. His statement comes two days after Atiku, El-Rufai, and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, announced the formation of a Coalition of Opposition Political Parties to unseat…

Balkis Adeniji The Awori Welfare Association of Nigeria (AWAN) has declared its intention to pursue the merger of Awori communities in Lagos and Ogun states, with the long-term goal of creating a new state. This was disclosed in a statement by AWAN’s Director of Publicity and Communications, Prince Niyi Jafojo, who emphasized that this initiative is not the first attempt at unifying the Aworis in both states. Jafojo clarified that despite speculations, there is no division among the Awori people regarding the push for a merger, stressing that the movement remains united in its pursuit. “This proactive action even preceded…

If lie means falsehood, it is a regular verb. Therefore, its past tense and past participle should be lied. But if lie is talking about being or staying at rest in a horizontal position as in lying down, its past tense is lay while its past participle is lain. And if lay means to spread or produce eggs, its past tense and past participle is laid. Read the following examples for better understanding. Jobi lied when he said he liked her. (falsehood) She lay on the bed before sleeping off. (lying down)Ada laid the mat on the floor. (spread)My hen…

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has denied allegations that senators received a $15,000 bribe to support the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, dismissing the claims as part of a malicious campaign against him. The allegations, which have gained traction on social media, suggested that Akpabio distributed dollars to lawmakers at his Maitama residence during a breaking-of-fast event. The reports claimed that each senator first received $5,000 on Tuesday and an additional $10,000 on Wednesday, ahead of the critical vote. Breaking his silence on the matter, Akpabio, through his Special Adviser on Media, Eseme Eyiboh, described the accusations…

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has accused the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, of plotting his downfall after he (Oluwo) helped him (Ooni) to mount the throne. In a video seen by Saturday PUNCH, Oluwo said he influenced Oba Ogunwusi’s emergence as the Ooni when he was contesting the stool in 2015. However, Oba Akanbi said the Ooni had been orchestrating his removal, alleging that Oba Adeyeye was behind his suspension from the Osun State Council of Obas a few years back. But Ooni dismissed Oluwo’s allegation, even as he said he would not react to it…

Loyalists of the 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, have begun lobbying the Social Democratic Party (SDP) as part of a broader move to position him for the party’s 2027 presidential ticket, the SDP’s National Secretary, Olu Agunloye, has revealed. Speaking on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political programme aired on Channels Television, Agunloye disclosed that Obi’s associates had approached the party to inquire about the possibility of his defection, though the former Anambra State governor has not officially declared his intention. “Obi’s people came to us to say if Obi comes, would you take him? Of…

The Federal Government has announced the arrest of 327 individuals involved in illegal mining across the country, with 143 already prosecuted, as part of intensified efforts to sanitise the solid minerals sector. The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, disclosed this on Friday at a news conference marking the first anniversary of the Mining Marshals (MM), a security outfit established to combat illegal mining activities. According to Alake, over 3,000 illegal gold miners have been flushed out since the marshals began operations in March 2024. The initiative, he noted, has significantly disrupted illegal mining networks that have long…