Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Veteran Yoruba actor, Fatai Odua, popularly known as Lalude, has lashed out at the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its loyalists, accusing them of using and abandoning Nollywood thespians after they campaigned for President Bola Tinubu and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu during the 2023 general elections. In an emotionally charged outburst on the YouTube talk show Behind the Fame aired on Saturday, the actor, famed for his iconic roles as a herbalist in Yoruba movies, said he and several others were mobilised for political campaigns by APC chieftain, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, but were never paid…

Several persons are feared dead and many others injured after a speeding tipper truck lost control and ploughed into a bustling market in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital. The tragic incident occurred around midday on Saturday at the Mile 6 market, a popular trading hub, leaving the community in shock and mourning. Eyewitness accounts indicate that the truck, which was transporting sand, suffered a tyre burst while in motion. The driver, reportedly unable to regain control of the vehicle, veered off the road and rammed into traders and shoppers within the busy market. “It happened so fast,” said Musa Ibrahim,…

The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a 24-year-old man, Muanaenye Chekwube Victor, for allegedly masterminding the abduction of his close friend and collecting a ransom of ₦5.3 million in dollars. The suspect, according to the police, connived with members of a kidnap syndicate to lure the unsuspecting victim into captivity before demanding and receiving the ransom in foreign currency. Police spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, who confirmed the arrest in a statement on Saturday, said Victor was apprehended on June 26 by operatives attached to the Uli Divisional Headquarters following a discreet investigation into the case. Ikenga disclosed that the…

The Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba (Prof.) Saka Matemilola, has renewed his commitment to raising awareness on cervical cancer prevention, declaring that promoting the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among young girls is key to safeguarding their future and ensuring safe motherhood. Oba Matemilola made this known during a capacity-building programme held at his palace in Oke-Ago Owu, Abeokuta, Ogun State. The event was organised by Pathfinder International, Nigeria, in partnership with the Ogun State Primary Health Care Development Board (PHCDB) and Family Health Initiative Ogun (FAHIO). The monarch, who is also a recognized HPV Mega Champion, described the campaign against…

Nigeria’s total public debt has climbed to N149.38 trillion in the first quarter of 2025, reflecting a N4.72 trillion increase from the N144.67 trillion recorded at the end of 2024, according to the Debt Management Office (DMO). This marks a 3.3 percent rise in the country’s debt burden, which comprises both domestic and external obligations of the federal and state governments, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). A breakdown of the figures shows that domestic debt accounted for N78.75 trillion ($51.2 billion), while external debt stood at N70.63 trillion ($45.9 billion). The federal government continued to shoulder the bulk of…

Chief ‘Kayode Aderemi has been elected as the new Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abeokuta Branch, following a peaceful and well-coordinated election held on Thursday, June 27, 2025. The electoral process, which was supervised by a team led by Dr. Sherif Olayinka Rasaq, Esq., culminated in the announcement of results by Mrs. O. Ogundele. Aderemi, a respected legal practitioner, will lead a new executive team that includes Abimbola Akisanya as Vice Chairman; Tope Adekoya as General Secretary; Olatoye Adejola as Assistant General Secretary; Gabriel Agboola as Treasurer; and Abdulbasit Abolade Shuaib as Publicity Secretary. In his acceptance speech,…

The Ogun State Government has set an ambitious target to vaccinate over two million children as it flagged off the second round of the 2025 National Immunisation Plus Days (NIPDs) and the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Week. Speaking at the official launch of the campaign in Sabo, Sagamu Local Government Area, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, urged parents and caregivers to seize the opportunity and protect their children against preventable diseases, especially polio and cervical cancer. Dr. Coker disclosed that the exercise aims to administer oral polio vaccines to under-five children and the Human Papillomavirus (HPV)…

The Deputy Minority Whip of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Dickson Kolawole Awolaja, has commenced the execution of multiple constituency projects aimed at improving living standards across the Remo North State Constituency. The projects, currently underway in six key communities—Isara, Ode-Remo, Ipara, Ilara, Orile-Oko, and Akaka—include the construction of market stalls, provision of potable water, and a modern abattoir. Speaking during the foundation-laying ceremony for two blocks of 20 market stalls in Ode-Remo, Awolaja said the projects were driven by the needs and requests of his constituents. “These projects are being put in place based on the demands…

Daud Olatunji  Fresh details have emerged on the real reasons behind the sudden resignation of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), pointing to a combination of political intrigue, legal troubles, and health concerns. Ganduje, a former two-term governor of Kano State, stepped down from his position on Friday, in a move that multiple impeccable sources told PLATFORM TIMES was far from voluntary. The resignation, which takes immediate effect, comes amid growing internal pressure and behind-the-scenes negotiations orchestrated at the highest levels of power. Top among the factors that sealed Ganduje’s exit is…

Daud Olatunji  The newly established Federal University of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Abeokuta (FUMMSA), is set to commence academic activities in September 2025 with 21 proposed programmes, including Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, and Nursing, subject to final approval by the National Universities Commission (NUC). Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Fatiu Arogundade, disclosed this during a courtesy visit to the Abeokuta Club, where he led principal officers of the institution, including Registrar Obayomi Olukayode and University Librarian Dr. Idayat Agboola. Prof. Arogundade stated that the university has applied to the NUC for accreditation of 21 academic programmes, adding that resource persons…