Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Labour Party has dismissed speculations of entering into any coalition or merger arrangement ahead of the 2027 general elections, declaring that it will contest the polls as a standalone political platform. The party’s position was made known by Ken Asogwa, Special Adviser to the Interim National Chairman, Nenadi Usman, during an interview on Arise Television on Tuesday. Asogwa said the party was not engaged in talks with any political party and had no intention of collapsing its structure into any alliance, insisting that it would build on its 2023 performance. “In 2027, we hope to contest that election as…

The Department of State Services has foiled a kidnap plot and rescued a five-year-old boy, Muhammad Haruna, in Dan Zaki Village, Minjibir Local Government Area. The DSS Kano Command said its tactical operatives stormed the village at about 7:40 p.m. on February 12, 2026, following a distress report that the minor had been abducted to an unknown destination. According to the agency, the suspected kidnappers had demanded a ransom of N15 million from the boy’s family. In a statement issued on Friday, the security outfit disclosed that a 20-year-old suspect, Aminu Mukhtar, was arrested during the operation while allegedly negotiating…

The League of Imams and Alfas has expressed concern over what it described as the Federal Government’s continued indecision on the proposed ban of sachet alcohol, warning that the delay poses grave moral and social consequences for the country. The Islamic clerics specifically faulted the back-and-forth between the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and the Federal Government over the prohibition of alcohol packaged in sachets, saying the wavering posture sends a “dangerous signal” to young Nigerians. In a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Imam Tajudeen Mustapha Adewunmi, on Friday, the group said the easy availability and…

The Ibadan Zonal Station of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria has lauded the Senator representing Ogun Central, Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, for facilitating the installation of 15 solar-powered electricity poles at Paramount 94.5 FM, Abeokuta. The commendation was contained in a letter dated January 30, 2026, and signed by the Acting Zonal Director of Radio Nigeria, Ibadan National Station, Mr. Olufemi Fulani. Fulani described the intervention as a timely and impactful gesture that would enhance operations at the station and improve service delivery to residents of Ogun Central Senatorial District. According to him, the solar-powered poles, installed within the…

..Proposed budget triples 2023 election spending …Seeks ₦171bn extra for 2026 operation Daud Olatunji The Independent National Electoral Commission has requested over ₦1.04tn to finance its 2026 operations and conduct the 2027 general elections, a proposal that has triggered fresh scrutiny over the rising cost of elections and the integrity of the nation’s electoral framework. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Wednesday while defending the commission’s budget before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters in Abuja. A breakdown of the proposal shows that ₦873.78bn is earmarked for the 2027 general elections alone — nearly three times…

Minister of Works, David Umahi, has raised serious concerns over escalating vandalism of critical road and bridge infrastructure across Nigeria, warning that the destruction threatens the sustainability of the nation’s transport network. Speaking at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday, Umahi said persistent attacks on key projects, particularly along the Lagos coastal highway and major bridges, have undermined efforts to modernise the country’s road network. “Our coastal route in Lagos has repeatedly been targeted by vandals despite efforts to secure it,” Umahi said. “The green barbed wire we installed to beautify and protect sections of the highway is being…

Labour Party chieftain, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has described former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Minister Rotimi Amaechi, Peter Obi, and Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai as lacking political sense, while praising President Bola Tinubu for his focus and determination. In an interview aired on TrustTV in January, Baba-Ahmed said the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is “a coalition of politicians who do not have a Tinubu, a Buhari, or a Jonathan,” referring to Nigeria’s past leaders he considered strategic and pragmatic. “They don’t have a Tinubu. Tinubu was focused, resourced, and determined. They don’t have it in ADC,” Baba-Ahmed said. He added…

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja was on Thursday thrown into fresh uncertainty as Justice Obiora Egwuatu withdrew from the trial of a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), in the ongoing N8.7bn money laundering case filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Justice Egwuatu announced his decision at the resumed proceedings, stating that he would no longer preside over the two matters involving the former minister for personal reasons and in the interest of justice. The withdrawal marks another twist in the high-profile prosecution of Malami, who is facing…

A police officer attached to the Police Mobile Force, Minna, has been beaten to death by a mob of suspected illegal miners during a violent clash at a mining site in Niger State. PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the incident occurred around 1:45pm on Tuesday at a mining site belonging to Millennium Metals in the Zunzungi area of the state. The deceased officer, identified as PC Emmanuel Samson of MOPOL 12, was reportedly on joint patrol with operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps assigned to mining materials protection when the team was attacked. Sources said the NSCDC operatives…

The Central Bank of Nigeria has cautioned Nigerians against presenting cash as “money bouquets” during Valentine’s Day celebrations, declaring the practice a form of naira abuse punishable under the law. In an advisory issued on Thursday via its official social media handle, the apex bank listed money bouquets alongside offences such as spraying, squeezing, writing on, selling and defacing the naira. Money bouquets involve folding banknotes into petal-like shapes and arranging them in the form of flowers for gifting purposes — a trend that has gained popularity during romantic celebrations and social events. The CBN stressed that mutilating or tampering…