Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Daud Olatunji President Bola Tinubu has defended his administration’s removal of the petrol subsidy, declaring that Nigeria cannot return to what he described as a failed economic path amid growing political debate over the policy ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Tinubu’s position appeared to be a response to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s call for the restoration of the subsidy, which has remained a contentious issue following rising transport fares, food prices and the cost of living. The President maintained that reversing the reforms introduced by his administration would amount to taking the country backwards, insisting that Nigerians must scrutinise…

Daud Olatunji Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has said he would rather go to prison than surrender his mobile phone, highlighting the importance of the device to his personal and business communications. The billionaire industrialist made the disclosure at an event in Lagos where he unveiled his Vision 2030 plan, aimed at advancing industrialisation across Africa. Dangote’s remark followed a question asking him to choose between staying without his mobile phone for seven days and losing access to his private jet for the same period. Responding, the business mogul suggested that being separated from his phone would be far more…

Toyyibat Qasim The Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Oba (Prof.) Saka Adeola Matemilola, has disclosed that development initiatives implemented through the Owu Heritage Initiative have impacted more than 200,000 people, with interventions spanning education, healthcare, youth development, women’s empowerment and environmental sustainability. The monarch called for increased investment in education, improved healthcare delivery, job creation and enterprise development, stressing that collective efforts were necessary to address Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges and secure a better future for younger generations. Matemilola disclosed this during a press briefing to herald the 2026 Odun Omo Olowu Festival, where he outlined the achievements of…

‘Tell Them No!’ — Obi Tells Nigerians Abroad To Stop Sending Money To Relatives ….NDC Presidential Candidate Says Financial Handouts Cannot Solve Poverty …Blames Poor Leadership For Nigeria’s Economic Hardship Daud Olatunji The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has urged Nigerians living abroad to reconsider sending money to relatives and other people in Nigeria who frequently seek financial assistance, arguing that such interventions do little to address the root causes of poverty and economic hardship. Obi made the call during a town hall meeting with Nigerians in the diaspora in Manchester, United Kingdom, where he…

Daud Olatunji A professor of political economy, Pat Utomi, has warned that Nigeria could face a civil war if the 2027 general election is manipulated to deny voters their preferred candidates. Utomi said growing concerns about electoral malpractice and what he described as the apparent confidence of some public officials in their ability to influence the outcome of the next election could plunge the country into a serious political crisis. The political economist raised the alarm in a post on X on Sunday following an informal town hall discussion in Manchester, United Kingdom, where he said participants expressed concerns about…

Daud Olatunji A medical doctor, Dokun Adedeji, has recounted the agonising final moments of renowned investigative journalist and founding editor-in-chief of Newswatch magazine, Dele Giwa, revealing how the journalist desperately sought reassurance that he would survive after a parcel bomb tore through his body. Adedeji, who treated Giwa following the explosion, said the journalist remained conscious despite suffering devastating injuries and repeatedly asked whether he would die. The doctor recounted the incident on Monday during the launch of Dele Giwa’s Granite Journalism, a book documenting the late journalist’s writings for Daily Times, Sunday Concord and Newswatch magazine, held at the…

Daud Olatunji A member of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, has defended President Bola Tinubu over the country’s persistent security challenges, arguing that the failure of former President Muhammadu Buhari, a retired army general, to completely end insecurity should be considered when assessing the current administration. Yari said the Tinubu administration should not be held solely responsible for the security crisis, noting that Buhari, despite his military background and efforts to combat insecurity during his eight-year tenure, could not completely eliminate the problem. The former Zamfara State governor made the remarks on Monday during a…

Firdaus Obiremi Eight members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly who recently left the All Progressives Congress are set to return to the ruling party following a meeting with President Bola Tinubu. The lawmakers were led to the meeting by the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, according to a statement issued on Monday by Ahmad Dan-Wudil, a media aide to the former Zamfara State governor. Dan-Wudil said the legislators reaffirmed their loyalty to the APC and their commitment to Tinubu during the meeting. He added that Matawalle had pledged to integrate them into the Tinubu Again Movement…

Ayomide Awe A former Governor of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, is dead. Uduaghan, who governed the oil-rich state between 2007 and 2015, died on Monday morning, October 19, 2026, at the age of 71, after a brief illness. His death was announced by his family in a statement signed by Toju Andre Uduaghan on Monday. The statement, titled ‘Announcement of the Passing of His Excellency, Dr Chief Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan’, described his death as a devastating loss to the family, the people of Delta State and Nigeria. The family said, “It is with hearts weighed down by immeasurable…

Daud Olatunji The Federal Capital Territory High Court has dismissed a ₦120m fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, against the Department of State Services, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission. The court, presided over by Justice Sylvanus Oriji, dismissed the suit for lacking merit and substance as constituted by the applicant. It also ordered El-Rufai to pay ₦200,000 in costs to each of the respondents. In the judgment delivered on Monday, the court held that the invitation letters issued to El-Rufai by the EFCC…