Author: Platform Times Newspaper

…President insists opposition is free, denies ‘killing’ rivals …Stresses unity needed to tackle terrorism and banditry Daud Olatunji President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday pushed back against allegations that he is plotting to emasculate opposition parties and steer Nigeria towards a one-party state, declaring that he neither wielded force nor suppressed dissent as claimed by critics. Speaking during an interfaith breakfast with senators at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the President said accusations that he was “killing the opposition” were unfounded and politically motivated. “What they call you, any name, any nickname — critics must talk. When they accused me of killing…

…Governorship, State Assembly Elections to Hold February 6 Zainab Abioye The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rescheduled the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections to January 16, 2027, marking a historic shift in Nigeria’s electoral calendar. The commission also fixed February 6, 2027, for the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections. INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, disclosed the new dates in a statement issued on Thursday, explaining that the adjustment followed the repeal of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the enactment of the Electoral Act, 2026. The electoral umpire…

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has raised the alarm over a deficit of more than 3,500 teachers in federal unity colleges nationwide, warning that the shortage is undermining efforts to deliver quality education and threatening Nigeria’s human capital development. Alausa disclosed this on Thursday while defending the 2026 budget proposal of the Federal Ministry of Education before the joint committee on education of the National Assembly. He told lawmakers that the acute shortage of qualified teachers has placed enormous strain on existing staff and compromised learning outcomes across federal government colleges. “The shortage of qualified teachers is crippling our…

… 127,000 Cases Recorded Nationwide Between 2022–2025 …Breast, Prostate, Cervical Cancers Top Killers Daud Olatunji At least 79,000 Nigerians have died from cancer, while 127,000 cases were recorded nationwide between 2022 and 2025, the Chief Medical Director of ****, Prof. Robinson Onoh, has revealed. Prof. Onoh made the disclosure yesterday during the flag-off of a free cancer screening programme for the South East, noting that the rising incidence of the disease demands urgent intervention and preventive measures. The initiative, launched by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ms. Daju Kachollom, is part of a…

… Only 4% Of Women Live In Economies With Near-Full Legal Equality. …Enforcement Gaps Drop Scores From 67 To 47 Globally. Daud Olatunji Women across the globe enjoy only about two-thirds of the legal rights available to men, a new World Bank report has revealed, highlighting persistent gaps between laws on paper and their enforcement. The findings, contained in the latest Women, Business and the Law report released on Tuesday, show that while many countries have laws promoting gender equality, actual implementation remains weak. On average, countries scored 67 out of 100 for the adequacy of laws, but enforcement fell…

… Ex-IGP Clashed With Tinubu Over State Policing Reforms, VIP Security Withdrawal …Harassment Of Journalists Under His Watch Also Reportedly Embarrassed Govt Daud Olatunji Contrary to the official claim that former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun resigned for family reasons, sources within the presidency told PLATFORM TIMES that President Bola Tinubu personally asked him to step down over three key issues. Egbetokun, who was appointed the 22nd IGP on June 19, 2023, and confirmed by the Nigeria Police Council in October 2023, was expected to complete a four-year term ending October 2027 following an amendment to the Police…

Tech billionaire and Microsoft co-founder, Bill Gates, has admitted to having extramarital affairs with two Russian women but denied any involvement with victims of the late financier, Jeffrey Epstein. The revelation came during a Tuesday meeting with staff of the Gates Foundation, weeks after initially dismissing reports linking him to Epstein’s controversial circle. “I did have affairs, one with a Russian bridge player I met at bridge events, and another with a Russian nuclear physicist through business activities,” Gates told foundation staff, according to The Wall Street Journal. He insisted he “did nothing illicit” during his friendship with Epstein, whom…

The Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Tunji Disu, has announced the end of what he described as an era of impunity in the Nigeria Police Force. Disu, who was sworn in yesterday by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said his appointment, though unexpected, was a clear indication of the confidence the President has in his track record. Addressing journalists at the State House, Disu recounted how the President highlighted his achievements and contributions in policing, a gesture that moved him emotionally. “The President’s remarks brought me close to tears. It shows he monitors officers across the country and expects results,” he…

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday urged Tunji Disu, the newly appointed acting inspector-general of police (IGP), to lead the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) with discipline and restore public confidence in the institution. The president made the remarks at the State House during the decoration of Disu, who assumed the role following the resignation of Kayode Egbetokun. Tinubu tasked Disu with confronting rising insecurity, including banditry, terrorism, and other criminal activities across the country. He stressed the need for professionalism, inter-agency collaboration, and prioritising the safety of lives and property. “I expect you to strengthen discipline, enhance interagency coordination, and restore…

Nigerian gospel music icon, Yinka Ayefele, has fired back at allegations by fellow artiste Beautiful Nubia accusing him of copying a song melody, sparking a heated debate over copyright and originality in the gospel music scene. The controversy began when Nubia, via his verified Twitter account, claimed that Ayefele and another gospel singer, BBO, used melodies from his earlier composition, Seven Lifes, without proper credit. He highlighted that Ayefele’s 2012 track, My Faith in God (Igbagbo Ireti), and BBO’s 2026 single, Amin, bear striking similarities to his original work. Nubia lamented the growing trend of uncredited musical borrowing in the…