Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Grace Adeleye Concerns over the fading reward culture within the All Progressives Congress (APC) have resurfaced, as party stakeholders and commentators call for an urgent reform ahead of the 2026 Osun governorship election. Former Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, recently decried the party’s dwindling voter strength, questioning whether its policies and internal culture still resonate with its loyal base. His comments, though national in tone, struck a chord with Osun APC members who have long accused the party of sidelining those who laboured for its success. Echoing this sentiment, former Osun SUBEB Chairman, Ajibola Famurewa, lamented what he…

The Ogun State Muslim Council (OMC) has expressed deep concern over the declining state of Arabic and Islamic Studies in public schools across the state, warning that the subjects face possible extinction unless urgent action is taken by the government. The Council, in a communiqué issued at the end of its general meeting held on Sunday, November 9, 2025, at the Crescent Muslim Professionals Hall, Leme, Abeokuta, lamented that many qualified teachers of Arabic and Islamic Studies were being redeployed to institutions where their expertise is underutilized. The communiqué, signed by the Council’s Secretary-General, Asiwaju Kamal’deen Akintunde (Esq.), described the…

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has commended the Dangote Group for what it described as visionary industrial leadership and unwavering commitment to Nigeria’s economic growth. Speaking during an event in Lagos, the President of the Chamber, Mr. Gabriel Idahosa, said the role of forward-thinking industrial leadership was critical in navigating the complexities of a rapidly changing global economy. Idahosa noted that the Dangote Group had consistently demonstrated industrial courage by investing in key sectors where others had been hesitant. He expressed the Chamber’s appreciation for the company’s long-standing collaboration and support over the years. According to him,…

The Hope Alive Initiative (HAI), a pro-good-governance and development advocacy group, has faulted the recent decision of the United States Government to classify Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), saying such a move undermines ongoing efforts to address the country’s complex security challenges. HAI, in a statement signed by its Director of Media and Communications, Ernest Omoarelojie, described the US position — especially the accompanying threat of military intervention — as “misguided and counterproductive.” The group maintained that Nigeria needs global cooperation, not confrontation, to strengthen its internal security and peacebuilding efforts. “While we acknowledge with profound sorrow…

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has urged the Federal Government to reverse its planned ban on the production and sale of alcoholic drinks in sachets and small PET bottles, warning that the policy could cripple local industries, erode investments, and push millions of Nigerians into unemployment. In a statement signed by its Director-General, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, the association described the move as “counterproductive and economically damaging,” arguing that it runs contrary to previous stakeholder agreements and a resolution by the House of Representatives calling for a review of the decision. According to Ajayi-Kadir, the planned enforcement by the National Agency…

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has said he will not compel his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) with him, despite political pressure and speculation about a looming rift in the state’s leadership. Diri, who formally joined the APC on November 3 after resigning from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), made the clarification on Wednesday during the weekly State Executive Council meeting held at the Government House, Yenagoa. Ewhrudjakpo, who remains in the PDP, was present at the meeting. The governor said his approach to governance and politics was guided by engagement and…

Police operatives in Abia State have arrested a 31-year-old student pastor, identified as Moses Ifeayichukwu Gabriel, for allegedly defiling a 15-year-old girl in Umuahia, the state capital. The suspect, said to be a student of a theological institute in Umuahia, was arrested after the victim’s mother lodged a complaint with a local human rights group, Behind the Bars Defenders, which promptly reported the case to the police. Confirming the arrest, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Abia State Command, DCP Maureen Chinaka, said the matter was initially reported at the Ubakala Divisional Police Headquarters in Umuahia South Local Government…

A dismissed officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Polycarp Andrew, has been arraigned before Justice A. Bello of the Kaduna State High Court over the alleged theft of N22 million belonging to the anti-graft agency. Andrew, who once served as the exhibit keeper at the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, is facing a six-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and theft of exhibits under his custody. The former officer was arrested in Taraba State after months on the run, following allegations that he stole more than N22 million in cash exhibits from the agency’s…

The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to introduce large-scale farming programmes in correctional centres across the country to improve inmates’ nutrition and support their rehabilitation. The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Folorunsho Adegbesan, who represents Ijebu North/Ijebu East/Waterside Federal Constituency of Ogun State. Presenting the motion during plenary, Adegbesan decried the poor feeding condition in Nigerian prisons, warning that malnutrition had become widespread among inmates due to inadequate and unbalanced diets. He noted that the situation amounted to “cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment,” citing concerns already raised by courts in several African…

Despite modest progress in child survival, Nigeria continues to lose about 850,000 newborns and under-five children to preventable causes every year, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, has said. Pate, who spoke on Wednesday in Abuja at the commemoration of the 2025 World Pneumonia and Prematurity Days, described the figure as “a heavy national burden” that calls for urgent, sustained interventions. Represented by the Director of Health Promotion, John Urakpa, the minister said Nigeria had achieved a 45 per cent reduction in under-five mortality over the past two decades, but the rate remains far above…