Author: Platform Times Newspaper

A Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sani Abdulkadir, on Monday told the Federal High Court in Abuja that he received money to offer prayers for an alleged coup plot but warned those involved that the plan would ultimately fail. Abdulkadir, the sixth defendant in the ongoing trial of six suspects accused of plotting to overthrow the government of President Bola Tinubu, made the disclosure in a video recording played during the resumed hearing. In the footage, the cleric said he was approached through an intermediary, identified as Sanda, who informed him that his principal intended to stage a coup and required spiritual…

The internal crisis rocking the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress deepened on Monday after the party’s screening committee disqualified dozens of aspirants believed to be loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, while clearing candidates aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, ahead of the 2027 State House of Assembly primaries. The development has heightened political tension within the ruling party, with stakeholders warning that the outcome of the screening exercise could worsen divisions ahead of the general elections. A report of the screening committee, obtained on Monday, showed that former factional Speaker of the…

At least three workers of the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority in Ilorin, Kwara State, were hospitalised on Monday following a violent clash that disrupted activities at the agency’s headquarters. The unrest, which paralysed operations for hours, reportedly involved members of the National Union of Agricultural and Allied Employees protesting alleged poor welfare conditions and high-handedness by the management. Sources within the authority said the protest turned violent when some aggrieved workers allegedly attacked staff members, leaving them with varying degrees of injuries. The situation reportedly prompted the management to alert security agencies, including the police and the Department…

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has approved the deposition of the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Oloyede, following his conviction in the United States for fraud-related offences. The decision, announced in a statement on Monday by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, was said to have been taken after the state government obtained a Certified True Copy of the judgment delivered by a United States court in Ohio. Rasheed disclosed that the Osun State Executive Council had, in 2025, directed the Ministry of Local Government to formally request the court document, stressing that the government would not act on unverified reports…

The Independent National Electoral Commission has said it will mobilise over 1.4 million ad hoc personnel, largely from the National Youth Service Corps, for the 2027 general elections. INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, disclosed this during a courtesy visit by a high-level delegation of the commission to the NYSC headquarters in Abuja, describing corps members as central to the conduct of elections in Nigeria. According to a statement issued by the commission on Monday, Amupitan said the engagement was beyond a routine visit, noting that it was a deliberate effort to appreciate the scheme’s long-standing support for electoral processes. He said,…

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has ordered an immediate forensic audit into the organisation’s finances following allegations of irregular transfers and alleged mismanagement of its Endowment Fund totalling about N1.4bn. The decision was taken at a heated NEC meeting held in Kaduna on Wednesday, where members considered an interim report submitted by the Forum’s Code of Conduct and Ethics Committee (CCEC), amid growing internal tensions over governance and financial accountability. The probe was triggered by a petition filed by an ACF member, Murtala Abubakar, against the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Alhaji…

The Baale of Apena community in Obada-Oko, Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State, Chief Abiodun Gbadamosi, has petitioned the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, seeking intervention over what he described as a malicious prosecution on alleged false charges, including armed robbery. Gbadamosi also alleged threat to his life, accusing the traditional ruler of Obada-Oko, Oba Abiodun Olufemi Solaja, of trespassing on his family land and orchestrating acts of intimidation. In a petition dated May 6, 2027, and made available to journalists on Monday, the community leader appealed to the governor to “save his soul” from what he termed sustained harassment…

Zainab Abioye Top health officials in Ogun State have commended oncology nurses at Jacaranda Cancer Centre, Abeokuta, for their dedication to cancer care, describing their role as emotionally demanding but critical to patient survival and recovery. The officials gave the commendation during a Nurses Week celebration organised by the private specialist facility, which they said set a benchmark for recognising frontline health workers in the state. Speaking at the event, the Director of Nursing Services, Ogun State Ministry of Health, Dr Sherifat Omobolanle Aminu, noted that the centre distinguished itself as the first private health facility in the state this…

Members of the All Progressives Congress in Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun State on Monday staged a peaceful protest over the alleged refusal of party leaders to issue them membership cards, raising concerns over their participation in future party primaries. The aggrieved members, who gathered at the party secretariat in Ijaye, Abeokuta, also accused some leaders of plotting to impose candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections, alleging that the delay in issuing membership cards was a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise them. Carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Give Us Our Membership Cards,” “We Don’t Want Imposition,” and…

Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board statistics released on Monday have shown that Lagos State University (LASU) is the most preferred institution among candidates seeking admission in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. The figures, unveiled at the ongoing policy meeting in Abuja, indicate that LASU recorded 84,426 first-choice applications, accounting for 3.76 per cent of the total number of applicants nationwide. University of Lagos (UNILAG) ranked second with 78,240 applications, while Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) placed third with 60,370 applicants. Further breakdown showed that University of Ibadan secured the fourth position with 58,895 applications, closely followed by University of Benin,…