Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday held that the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice lacked requisite power and authority to initiate, maintain and prosecute offences under the Electoral Act, 2022 Justice Inyang Ekwo made the declaration while delivering judgement in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1038/23 instituted by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 governorship election in Ogun State, Oladipupo Adebutu and nine others with the AGF/Minister of Justice as the sole defendant. The plaintiffs had, in their Originating Summons prayed the court to stop the office of the…

Former Lagos State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has officially returned to the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing the ruling party’s viability and commitment to electoral success as key reasons for his defection. Jandor, who made the announcement on Monday at a media briefing held at Liberty Place, Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja, Lagos, declared that his decision was in the best interest of Lagosians, emphasizing that the APC remains the only party capable of winning elections both at the state and national levels. His return comes after a closed-door meeting with…

Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking an injunction to prevent the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from proceeding with the auction of properties seized from her. In an amended application presented by her counsel, Mike Ozekhome, Diezani also urged the court to compel the EFCC to recover properties already sold to third parties. Diezani argued that the EFCC violated her right to a fair hearing by conducting public auctions of her assets without serving her with any charges, proof of evidence, or court summons related to criminal proceedings. She…

Senate Majority Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has said that key beneficiaries of the petrol subsidy made governance difficult for President Bola Tinubu in the first 18 months of his administration. Bamidele, who represents Ekiti Central Senatorial District, stated this in a statement issued on Monday, blaming economic predators for fighting and undermining the administration due to Tinubu’s removal of fuel subsidy. “I am convinced that the president did the right thing by removing the fuel subsidy, for which the 9th National Assembly made provision till May 2023,” Bamidele said. “But the people that made governance difficult for President Tinubu were those…

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has revoked 4,794 land titles over the alleged non-payment of ground rent, signaling a crackdown on property owners who have defaulted for years. Ground rent is an annual fee landowners must pay to retain the right to occupy and use their land. However, according to a statement issued on Monday by Wike’s Special Assistant on Public Communication, Lere Olayinka, a staggering 8,375 property owners in Abuja’s prime districts have failed to meet this obligation in the last 43 years. The affected districts include Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse…

In a recent development at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, Oba Otudeko, Chairman of Honeywell Group, and his co-defendants have sought an out-of-court settlement amidst their ongoing trial for alleged involvement in a ₦12.3 billion fraud case. The trial judge, Chukwujekwu Aneke, dismissed the preliminary objections filed by the defendants, asserting that the case should proceed. The objections, which sought to halt the trial, were overruled as the court maintained its stance that such applications should not impede criminal proceedings at this stage. Following the dismissal, defence counsel, led by Wole Olanipekun, SAN, requested an adjournment to explore…

Ayomide Awe A land dispute is brewing in Ipokia, Ogun State, following the alleged sale of the revered Oro sacred forest by a section of the Elemosanyin family without the consent of other family members. The forest, considered significant in Oro worship, was reportedly sold by the Omolegbe section of the family, a move that has sparked outrage among other stakeholders. In preparation for construction activities, trees within the forest—believed to provide cover for the Oro deity—were allegedly felled, further deepening tensions. A prominent member of the family, Prince Samuel Olawin, has strongly condemned the sale, warning that any buyer…

Daud Olatunji Former Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has called out billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote for a public debate over allegations that the Dangote Group’s factory in Itori was demolished twice under his administration. In a strongly worded statement signed by his media aide, Lanre Akinwale, Amosun dismissed Dangote’s claims, describing them as tactics of manipulation and intimidation. He also accused the businessman of attempting to operate above the law, challenging him to present official approvals for the structures he claimed were destroyed. Amosun argued that governance operates through established Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, which regulate physical developments, including…

Residents of several communities in Remo North, Ogun State, have heaved a sigh of relief following the intervention of their representative in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Kolawole Dickson Awolaja, who has spearheaded efforts to restore electricity after prolonged blackouts. For months, communities across the constituency grappled with power outages caused by faulty transformers and damaged electrical infrastructure, crippling businesses and daily life. However, Hon. Awolaja, leveraging his position as Chairman of the House Committee on Community and Cooperative Society and Vice Chairman of the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy, stepped in to address these challenges head-on.…

Daud Olatunji A socio-political group, Ogun West Initiative, has called for the concession of the Ogun State governorship ticket to Ogun West Senatorial District in 2027, insisting that the move is necessary to correct decades of political marginalization and spur economic development in the region. The convener of the group, Mr. Bolaji Adeniji, made this assertion during a press briefing on Monday, March 17, 2027, stressing that Ogun West has waited 49 years since the creation of the state without producing a governor, despite its economic contributions. According to Adeniji, the demand is not based on sentiments or a mere…