Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has ordered a total and comprehensive shutdown of universities and inter-university centres nationwide from midnight of Friday, May 1, 2026, following a breakdown of negotiations with the Federal Government over long-standing welfare demands. The directive, contained in a circular issued from the JAC national secretariat in Abuja on Thursday, followed a high-level meeting between the unions and the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, alongside top officials of the education sector. Those present at…

The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that it is unconstitutional for Nigeria to continue to recognise political parties that have failed to win any elective positions, insisting that such parties should be deregistered in line with constitutional provisions. Fagbemi made the submission in an affidavit filed in response to a suit instituted by the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL), which is seeking the court’s interpretation of the law and the deregistration of several political parties, including the Action Alliance (AA), African Democratic Congress (ADC),…

…Children, Pregnant Women Among Victims …Starvation, Disease Ravage Overcrowded Facility The Amnesty International has called for an urgent and independent investigation into the alleged deaths of at least 150 Fulani detainees, many of them children, at a military-supervised facility in Kwara State. In a statement issued on Thursday, the rights group alleged that about 1,500 displaced Fulani pastoralists were held for months at the National Youth Service Corps Orientation Camp in Yikpata, Edu Local Government Area, under what it described as “deplorable and life-threatening conditions.” According to Amnesty, findings from its investigation revealed severe overcrowding, poor sanitation, acute food…

Former Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, on Thursday declared support for the state Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2027 election. Ambode, in a personally signed statement, said Hamzat’s emergence as the party’s consensus candidate reflected his loyalty, consistency, and long-standing commitment to the APC. He described Hamzat as a “true party man” whose consultations across party structures demonstrated his dedication to unity and progress. “I join my fellow APC members in congratulating my brother and friend, Dr. Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat, on his emergence as the consensus governorship candidate of…

Local government areas in Lagos received a total of ₦165.75bn as net statutory allocation from the Federation Account Allocation Committee in the first quarter of 2026, with Alimosho Local Government emerging as the highest beneficiary. Data sourced from Statisense, citing figures from the National Bureau of Statistics, showed that Alimosho LGA received ₦10.7bn within the three-month period, maintaining its position as the largest recipient among the 20 councils in the state. Ajeromi/Ifelodun and Kosofe LGAs followed with ₦9.0bn and ₦8.9bn respectively, while Mushin, Oshodi/Isolo, and Ojo LGAs each recorded allocations of ₦8.8bn. Further breakdown indicated that Ikorodu received ₦8.6bn, while…

The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Thursday nullified the national convention held by the Peoples Democratic Party in Ibadan, Ibadan, effectively sacking the factional national executives that emerged from the exercise. The convention, conducted between November 15 and 16, 2025, had produced a leadership bloc led by former minister, Tanimu Turaki (SAN). In a decisive ruling delivered in Abuja, the apex court held that the convention was invalid, thereby voiding all decisions and outcomes arising from it. Although details of the judgment were still sketchy as of the time of filing this report, the verdict is expected to have far-reaching…

The senator representing Ogun West Senatorial District, Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, has been tipped to consolidate on the achievements of Governor Dapo Abiodun and unlock the economic potential of Ogun State if elected governor in 2027. Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, recently emerged as the consensus governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the state, putting to rest weeks of speculation over who would clinch the party’s ticket among several aspirants. Speaking with journalists in Abeokuta on Wednesday, a chieftain of the APC and Convener of the Ogun West Initiative, Olootu Bolaji Adeniji, described Adeola’s emergence as a “historic opportunity”…

The Gender Development Initiative, in partnership with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development, has scaled up its anti-human trafficking campaign across Ogun State, reaching no fewer than 7,787 parents, traders and community actors through coordinated school and community engagements. The intervention, implemented under the Schools Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project, covered major zones including Abeokuta, Ijebu and Yewa, with a focus on curbing trafficking at the grassroots level. As part of the initiative, sensitisation programmes were held in five secondary schools in Abeokuta—Lafenwa High School, Salau Abiola Comprehensive High School, Ansar-U-Deen High School, Premier Grammar School and Muslim High…

The United Nations Children’s Fund has called on state governments in the South-West to increase domestic investment in nutrition programmes to tackle rising cases of child stunting and poor development outcomes. The appeal was made during a one-day regional workshop on the operationalisation of the Integrated Multisectoral Nutrition Intervention and the N-774 Initiative, held in Ibadan. The workshop, organised by the Oyo State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning in collaboration with UNICEF, brought together key government officials and stakeholders from Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun  and Oyo  to strengthen regional collaboration on nutrition financing and implementation. Speaking at the…

By Muyi Lamidi In the early hours of a typical market day in Owo or the quiet evenings in Akoko communities, political conversations are already shifting—long before campaign posters appear or party primaries begin. Across Ondo North, people are asking familiar but urgent questions: Who truly understands our struggles? Who will speak for us where it matters? In these conversations, one name is beginning to surface more frequently—Michael Abayomi Adeyanju a.k.a. Imole. While the 2027 elections are still some distance away, his growing visibility is not accidental. It reflects a combination of factors that are slowly shaping public perception across…