Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Former Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has advised Governor Ademola Adeleke to pursue his 2026 re-election bid on the platform of the Accord Party rather than the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Speaking on a Yoruba talk show on Rave FM, Oyinlola said the ADC “fell short of the standard” required to support Adeleke’s gubernatorial ambitions. He added that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) were not viable options, describing APGA as an “Igbo party” and NNPP as “Hausa-dominated.” “Our governor wants re-election, but the crisis in the PDP at the national level could hinder…

The federal government has announced plans to begin automatic tax deductions from the bank accounts of Nigerians with unexplained income starting 2026. Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, disclosed this on the Mic On Podcast hosted by Seun Okinbaloye, saying the move is part of a broader effort to modernise Nigeria’s tax system and ensure compliance. Oyedele explained that the government would use advanced fiscal monitoring tools to identify individuals whose incomes fall within taxable brackets but who are underreporting or not paying taxes. “Instead of relying solely on citizens to voluntarily declare…

Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has condemned the escalating insecurity under President Bola Tinubu, warning that Nigeria is teetering on the brink of institutional collapse. Speaking on social media on Monday, Ezekwesili linked the recent spate of violent attacks and mass abductions, including the Kwara worshippers’ attack and the Kebbi schoolgirl kidnappings, to “systemic corruption” that has eroded the country’s key institutions, including the military and judiciary. “Failing to protect Nigerian children is the highest acceptance of governing without legitimacy, Mr President. Cancerous systemic corruption has metastasised into our political culture and is now imploding Nigeria,” she said. Ezekwesili,…

The United Kingdom government has rejected Nigeria’s request to transfer former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, back home to complete his prison sentence, PLATFORM TIMES has learnt. The decision means the embattled lawmaker will remain in a British correctional facility where he is currently serving a nine-year and eight-month jail term for organ trafficking. Ekweremadu, alongside his wife, Beatrice, and a medical doctor, was convicted in 2023 after a high-profile trial at the Old Bailey which exposed a plot to traffic a young man to London for the harvesting of his kidney for the couple’s ailing daughter, Sonia. A diplomatic…

Tension is mounting across Oyo State as operatives of the Oyo State Security Network Agency, Amotekun, have announced plans for a statewide strike and protest over the government’s failure to issue them appointment letters nearly five years after the outfit was created. The aggrieved operatives, who described themselves as “contract staff under slavery conditions,” said frustration has reached breaking point across all 33 local government areas due to what they called deliberate neglect by Governor Seyi Makinde, Chairman of the Amotekun Board, AIG Sikiru Akande (retd.), and the State Commandant, Col. Olayinka Olayanju (retd.). In a statement issued on behalf…

The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) on Monday announced a major overhaul of Nigeria’s asset declaration process, introducing a new digital platform that will, for the first time, capture cryptocurrency and other emerging forms of digital wealth owned by public officers. The Chairman of the Bureau, Dr. Abdullahi Bello, disclosed this in Abuja at a two-day stakeholder workshop on the Assets and Liabilities Declaration System (ALDS). Bello, who was represented by CCB Board Member, Justice Ibrahim Buba (rtd), said the upgraded system marks a critical shift from the outdated manual process that has long slowed verification and weakened compliance. “This…

The Delta State Police Command on Monday dismissed widespread rumours that bandits had invaded Girls’ Secondary School, Utagba-Ogbe, Kwale, describing the reports as false, misleading, and capable of causing unnecessary public panic. The scare, which erupted around 9:30am, triggered chaos within the school community as frightened students alerted one another while unverified posts on social media claimed that gunshots were heard and that residents were fleeing. Following the alarm, the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, ordered an immediate security assessment, deploying the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) of Kwale Division, SP Udofia Kufre, alongside a patrol team…

The United States Government has pledged enhanced intelligence support and the supply of defence equipment to strengthen Nigeria’s fight against terrorists and violent extremist groups, the Presidency said on Monday. The commitment followed a series of high-level security engagements in Washington, D.C., between top Nigerian officials and key US institutions last week. A delegation led by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, met with senior officials from the US Congress, the State Department, the National Security Council, the White House Faith Office, and the Department of War. Others on the delegation included the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi;…

Stakeholders have urged the Nigerian government to resist panic-driven or symbolic reactions to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern,” warning that hasty responses could expose the country to deeper geopolitical risks. The caution emerged on Sunday during the Toyin Falola Interviews, a widely followed virtual policy forum that drew over 7.1 million viewers across 32 countries, including representatives of the African Union, ECOWAS, and officials from Ghana, Gambia, and Mali. The session, themed “Trump and Nigeria,” was chaired by Professor Toyin Falola and featured a panel of respected analysts including Azu Ishiekwene,…

Michael Babatunde The air is different! For anyone coming into the community for the first time, you may likely suspect that this oxygen is not clean but for residents, there is nothing amiss, little do they know of the deadly substance penetration to the lungs – lead! In this quiet town near Lagos, a hidden crisis is unfolding: factories that recycle car batteries are silently poisoning the community, especially children, with deadly lead. What many call “green recycling” is, in reality, a public health disaster. Residents report black soot raining down on their homes, covering floors, gardens and schoolyards. This…