Author: Platform Times Newspaper

A pan-Nigerian movement, The Alternative, on Wednesday took its voter awareness campaign to farmers in Ogun State, urging them to participate fully in the ongoing pre-registration of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the next general election. The advocacy meeting, held in Abeokuta with members of Agbe Gbe Lu Agro Network Limited, was led by the convener of The Alternative, Otunba Segun Showunmi, who was represented by the Southwest Chairman of the movement, Olusola Salau. Showunmi described farmers as a trustworthy bloc capable of influencing credible change at the polls, stressing the need for them to mobilise their communities…

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) branch, has issued a stern warning to President Bola Tinubu’s administration to fully implement the reviewed 2009 agreement or face what it described as the “mother of all strikes.” The TASUED branch chairman of ASUU, Dr. Wale Ositoye, gave the warning on Wednesday during a press briefing held shortly after the union staged a peaceful protest at the university’s main gate in Ijagun, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. Ositoye, who led members and executives of the union during the protest, said the action was meant to raise awareness and…

…Ex-President Seeks Independent Nomination Panel … Calls For Judiciary, Civil Society Input In Process … Warns Credibility Of 2027 Polls At Stake Former President Goodluck Jonathan has called for a drastic reform in the appointment process of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, warning that the credibility of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections would depend on it. Jonathan, represented by the Executive Director of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, Ms Ann Iyonu, spoke on Wednesday in Abuja during the public presentation of the National Action Plan for Electoral Reforms organised by the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought. The former…

…Investigation begins, safety audit ordered before reopening The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, has taken full responsibility for Tuesday’s Abuja-Kaduna train derailment, assuring Nigerians of a thorough investigation and improved safety measures going forward. The incident, which occurred shortly after the train departed Abuja at about 11 a.m., threw passengers into panic as several coaches veered off the track along the Kaduna corridor. Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, Opeifa said: “Beyond apologising to Nigerians, I want to state clearly—as the Managing Director and Chief Executive—I take full responsibility. When it comes…

Tragedy struck Budu village in Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State on Monday evening when five women, including a pregnant woman, were killed after an illegal mining pit caved in. The victims, identified as Tani Abubakar, Farida Mustapha, Farida Sule, Khadijat Abdullahi and Zainab Usman, were said to have been trapped when the pit collapsed around 6:30 pm, throwing the community into mourning. Eyewitnesses told PLATFORM TIMES that the deceased, who hailed from Budu and Panbi villages, had gone in search of gold before the incident occurred. Despite frantic efforts by locals, the women were buried under the rubble…

A member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Shittu Ibraheem, has raised concerns over the approval of a ₦300 billion loan by the Assembly during its ongoing recess, describing the process as secretive and questionable. Ibraheem, who represents Saki West Constituency, in a statement on Wednesday, dissociated himself from the approval, alleging that many members were sidelined in the emergency sitting convened to ratify the facility at the instance of Governor Seyi Makinde. According to him, the loan was approved on August 19, 2025 and finalised on August 26, 2025, despite the Assembly being on a six-week recess…

The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has unveiled two groundbreaking Artificial Intelligence-driven research projects aimed at revolutionising infectious disease surveillance and response in Nigeria. The projects, launched under the institution’s AIA4OneHealth initiative, were formally introduced on Tuesday at the Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment (CEADESE), with Ogun State selected as the pilot site. Backed by the Artificial Intelligence for Pandemic and Epidemic Preparedness (AI4PEP) Network at the University of Toronto, Canada, through a  grant from the International Development Research Council (IDRC) and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the initiative seeks to strengthen…

A former Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, has called on the Federal Government to prioritise the reduction of maternal mortality by subsidising childbirth and expanding access to free healthcare. Adewole, who spoke on Wednesday in Ibadan, described Nigeria’s persistently high maternal mortality rate as a national shame that requires urgent government intervention. According to him, the government must adopt sustainable funding models to prevent avoidable deaths during childbirth. He recommended that childbirth should be subsidised and, where possible, made free—capped at four deliveries in line with the national population policy. “We need to prevent women from dying. Many women…

The Ogun State Government has cautioned stakeholders in charge of the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme to guard against unscrupulous individuals who may attempt to sabotage the initiative aimed at alleviating poverty. The Head of Service, Mr. Kehinde Onasanya, gave the warning during a stakeholders’ sensitisation meeting on the National Social Safety Nets Programme Scale Up (NASSP-SU) held in Abeokuta. Onasanya, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Public Service Reforms, Mr. Jola Oyeneye, stressed that stakeholders must remain vigilant against manipulators and other unjust practices capable of undermining the programme. He assured that both the Federal and Ogun…

… Pilot Refuses Take-Off Until Man Is Removed There was a mild drama on Wednesday, when an elderly passenger was  removed from a Nigerian domestic flight after he allegedly threatened to slap an air hostess who asked him to vacate an emergency exit seat. The incident, which occurred at an unnamed airport, forced the pilot to suspend the flight until the man was escorted out of the aircraft by security operatives. Spokesman for the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Michael Achimugu, confirmed the development in a statement posted on his social media page, stressing that threats of violence against crew…