Author: Platform Times Newspaper

A faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by former Senate President, David Mark, on Wednesday held a high-level meeting with a rival bloc of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) headed by Kabiru Turaki in Abuja, amid intensifying crises within both opposition parties. The closed-door talks, according to findings by PLATFORM TIMES, are part of ongoing efforts to forge a broad opposition alliance ahead of the 2027 general elections. Prominent political heavyweights attended the meeting, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, former Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, and ex-Minister of Transportation…

The Ogun State Government has approved the appointment of Basorun Peter Oluwole Ogunbayo as the new Odemo of Isara Remo in Remo North Local Government Area. PLATFORM TIMES reports that the approval was granted by Governor Dapo Abiodun on Tuesday, following ratification by the State Executive Council. The government said the appointment forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen traditional institutions and deepen grassroots governance across the state. Ogunbayo, from the Otete Ruling House of Isara Remo, was born on April 23, 1970, and is described as a seasoned businessman and community leader with longstanding ties to the town. He…

A United States-based lobbying firm engaged by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has vowed to push for sanctions against officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission and politicians found culpable of electoral malpractice in Nigeria. The firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, said it would recommend punitive measures, including asset freezes and travel bans, against individuals accused of undermining the country’s electoral process. In a statement released on Wednesday via its official X handle, the Washington-based outfit declared that it would begin identifying and spotlighting electoral offenders for possible sanctions by the US government. It stated, “We will recommend to the Office of the…

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced four members of Boko Haram to life imprisonment, following their conviction on terrorism-related charges. The trial judge, James Omotosho, delivered the judgement on Tuesday after the defendants pleaded guilty to multiple counts brought against them by the Federal Government. Those handed life sentences are Ali Abiso, Bakura Abah Kabiru, Ado, also known as Luka Garba, and Babagoni Masawai. The prosecution, led by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, alongside the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, relied on confessional statements and investigation reports…

A dismissed Nigerian soldier, Rotimi Olamilekan, popularly known as Soja Boi, has reignited controversy over the welfare of military personnel, challenging the Nigerian Army to make its payroll public while presenting bank transaction alerts he claims reflect the true earnings of soldiers. Olamilekan, a former lance corporal with service number 18NA/77/1009, made the claims in a video circulated on Tuesday, shortly after the Army dismissed his earlier allegations as “false and misleading.” In the footage, the ex-soldier displayed three bank alerts purportedly received during his service, insisting they substantiate his position that soldiers earn modest wages and often bear the…

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Adewole Adebayo, has ruled out any coalition with the African Democratic Congress ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that the party will not compromise its standards by accommodating politicians with questionable records. Adebayo disclosed this on Wednesday while speaking on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, where he confirmed that key figures within the ADC had approached the SDP for a political alliance aimed at unseating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The former presidential candidate, however, said the SDP rejected the overtures, stressing that its…

The Organisation for Harmony and Peace (OHP) has unveiled its Halal Marriage Department, an initiative aimed at fostering stable, value-driven marriages among Muslims and strengthening family life in line with Islamic teachings. The department, according to the group, is designed to address growing concerns over the erosion of moral values and challenges confronting the institution of marriage in contemporary society. Founder and President of OHP, Ustadh Tajudeen Jimoh Alao, said the initiative would serve as a platform to connect compatible Muslim men and women while offering guidance rooted in the Qur’an and Sunnah. He noted that the programme would prioritise…

A former senator and governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress in Ogun State, Iyabo Obasanjo, on Monday held a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Lagos, where she formally briefed him on her 2027 governorship ambition. Sources privy to the meeting disclosed that the discussion centred on Obasanjo’s plan to contest the Ogun State governorship election, with the former lawmaker presenting her vision for governance, infrastructure development and improved public service delivery in the state. It was gathered that Obasanjo used the opportunity to outline her strategic priorities, emphasising the need for inclusive growth and…

A wave of defections has swept through Jigawa State as key members of the All Progressives Congress, the Peoples Democratic Party and the New Nigeria People’s Party dumped their parties for the African Democratic Congress, in a development that signals intensifying political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections. The high-profile defections, which culminated in a massive rally in Dutse, the state capital, saw thousands of supporters converge to receive a former lawmaker, Sabo Muhammad Nakudu, into the ADC. Nakudu, who represented Jigawa South-West Senatorial District and chaired the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) in the 9th Assembly, formally resigned…

Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested an 18-year-old suspect while attempting to collect a N20 million ransom in a sting operation. The Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, disclosed this on Tuesday during a press briefing at the command headquarters in Ikeja. Tijani said the arrest followed a complaint by officials of the Ojokoro Local Council Development Area over threats to life and a demand for ransom. He explained that acting on the report, operatives swiftly launched an intelligence-led operation that led to the suspect’s arrest on March 27 at the point of collecting the ransom. “The suspect…