Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Grace Adeleke The Independent National Electoral Commission has published the final list of presidential candidates and their running mates for the January 2027 general elections, with incumbent President Bola Tinubu, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State governor Peter Obi among the 18 candidates cleared to contest. The final list, released by the electoral commission on Saturday in Abuja, contains the presidential candidates sponsored by 18 political parties seeking to produce Nigeria’s next President. The document was signed by INEC Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony. Tinubu is flying the flag of the All Progressives Congress, while Atiku is the presidential candidate…

A 36-year-old woman, Anulika Onyeanusia, arrested in Onitsha, Anambra State, over the alleged sexual exploitation of her daughters, has admitted receiving up to $300 from a foreign man in connection with sexualised material involving the children. Onyeanusia, who pleaded for forgiveness following her arrest, attributed her alleged actions to what she described as the handiwork of the “devil.” The woman was arrested after a disturbing livestream involving one of her children circulated online, triggering public outrage and calls for urgent intervention by security agencies and child-protection authorities. During preliminary investigations, the suspect reportedly admitted that she had received money from…

..27 others under observation as government bans local alcoholic, herbal drinks in affected area Zainab Abioye The death toll from suspected alcohol poisoning in parts of Ondo State has risen to 30, with 60 cases recorded following the consumption of a suspected toxic alcoholic or herbal substance, the state government has said. The Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Banji Ajaka, disclosed the latest figures on Friday in Akure, saying three affected persons were currently receiving treatment in hospitals, while 27 others remained under medical observation. The incident occurred on Saturday, September 5, in Odigbo and Araromi-Obu, where residents reportedly consumed…

Daud Olatunji The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, has urged labour leaders across the country to seek political power, arguing that occupying elective and appointive positions would give workers’ representatives greater influence over policies affecting the Nigerian workforce. Ajaero made the call in Birnin Kebbi while addressing members of the NLC National Administrative Council during a dinner hosted by the Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris. The NLC president said the experience of former labour leaders who had moved into government had demonstrated that the labour movement could make a greater impact when its members were directly involved…

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has carried out another reshuffle of his cabinet, redeploying four commissioners in what has become the fourth major adjustment to his administration’s team in 2026. The latest changes, which take immediate effect, were announced on Saturday by the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Musa Ikhilor, in a statement issued in Benin City. The governor moved commissioners overseeing the Ministries of Water Resources, Physical Planning and Urban Development, Communications and Digital Economy, and Oil and Gas Resources. Under the new arrangement, Dr Felix Ehiguese Akhabue, who previously headed the Ministry of Water Resources, has been…

Toyyibat  Qasim The Nigeria Police Force has clarified that Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has not banned citizens from recording police officers, saying his recent comments were directed at the misuse of such recordings for ridicule, entertainment and social media skits. The clarification followed growing public criticism of the IGP’s remarks, which had triggered concerns among lawyers, human rights advocates and other Nigerians over the right of citizens to document police activities in public spaces. The Force New Media Officer, Aliyu Giwa, made the clarification in a series of posts on X, stressing that the police authorities recognise the legitimate…

75% of facilities in rural areas, 38% without electricity, 39% rely on unsafe water Daud Olatunji A new assessment has exposed a major staffing crisis in Nigeria’s primary healthcare system, with 97 per cent of 1,480 Primary Healthcare Centres assessed across 16 states failing to meet the national minimum staffing standard. The assessment, conducted by the nonprofit organisation, Orodata Science, also found widespread deficiencies in infrastructure, electricity, water supply, medical equipment and accessibility, raising concerns about the capacity of the facilities to deliver safe and reliable healthcare to millions of Nigerians. The findings were contained in the organisation’s PHC Operational…

The Abia State Police Command has arrested a man and three others over an alleged attempt to sell his 16-month-old biological daughter for financial gain. The suspects were apprehended by operatives of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Gender Unit, at a hotel in Obi, Obingwa Local Government Area of the state, on September 7, 2026. The police said the child was rescued during the operation and subsequently handed over to the state Ministry of Women Affairs for protection and appropriate care. The Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, disclosed the development while briefing journalists on the achievements of the command since…

Daud Olatunji The All Progressives Congress councillor representing Ward 13, Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun State, Hon. Ibrahim Jasul, has strengthened his education-focused grassroots intervention with the donation of school lockers, 15 sets of workbooks, 500 exercise books and assorted writing materials to pupils in his ward. The educational support programme, held at Igbore Town Hall, Abeokuta, attracted pupils and their parents, as well as APC leaders and stakeholders in Ward 13. Among those who graced the event were a former member of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Wilfred Allen-Taylor, and the APC Chairman of Ward…

The bustling markets of Ogun State are the backbone of the state’s economy. Every day, thousands of traders provide goods and services that keep households running. Yet, these same traders are drowning under pressures that threaten their survival and the welfare of consumers. Inflation, declining purchasing power, and rising operating costs have already made doing business difficult. To make matters worse, traders now face a maze of tickets, levies, space charges, taxes, and other payments. What should be a straightforward process of revenue collection has become a system of exploitation. The absence of clear regulation and government oversight has given…