Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Daud Olatunji  In a decisive victory, Governor Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been re-elected as the Governor of Imo State.  The announcement of his re-election came following the governorship election held on Saturday, November 11, 2023. The state Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Returning Officer, Prof. Abayomi Fashina, declared Governor Uzodimma as the winner in the early hours of Sunday morning after a rigorous process of over eight hours, collating results from local government areas across the state. In his declaration, Prof. Fashina stated, “That you Hope Uzodimma of APC, having satisfied the law, is hereby…

Daud Olatunji In a daring attempt to sell a kidnapped three-year-old girl for N530,000, a 51-year-old woman, Blessing Jeremiah, was arrested by the Niger State Police Command.  The suspect stole the child from her parents in the Tudun-Natsira area of Minna and was apprehended while trying to transport the child to a buyer in Nnewi, Anambra State. Niger State Police acted swiftly to rescue the abducted child, ensuring her safe return to her relieved parents.  The state Police Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Wasiu, disclosed the details of the case on Friday. According to Wasiu, on October 25, 2023, around 19:30hrs,…

Daud Olatunji  The Imo State Collation Centre in Owerri, the state capital, descended into chaos on Sunday as tensions among party agents reached a boiling point, culminating in a violent brawl that disrupted the already tumultuous collation process. The collation, presided over by Prof Abayomi Fasina, the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University in Oye, Ekiti, began in the early hours of Sunday at 2:40 am. The entire process had been marked by protests and controversies from party agents since its inception. As the night progressed and the collation continued, frustration and impatience mounted among the party agents, with one…

Daud Olatunji Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) from across Africa have sounded a dire warning about the economic repercussions of climate change, urging immediate and strategic action to combat the looming crisis.  Under the banner of the Association of African Development Finance Institutions (AADFI), these financial institutions have called for practical plans to integrate climate-resilient practices into African businesses.  Failure to do so could result in a loss of 5% to 15% of Africa’s projected GDP by 2050, according to AADFI. The sobering revelation was made during the Joint International CEO Forum, hosted by the Bank of Industry in Abuja, which…

The Managing Director of NIPCO Plc, Mr. Suresh Kumar, has revealed a significant gap in the adoption of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly known as cooking gas, in rural communities across Nigeria.  Speaking at the 13th LPG conference in Abuja, Kumar highlighted that approximately 20 million rural households in the country continue to rely on traditional cooking methods, emphasizing the urgency of expanding LPG usage in these areas. According to Kumar, these 20 million households represent a substantial untapped market for LPG, equivalent to about three million tons of gas annually. To address this challenge, NIPCO is taking proactive steps…

Daud Olatunji In a significant development for the Nigerian energy sector, Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, announced on Saturday that the Dangote Refinery has successfully obtained the necessary permits to refine more than 300,000 barrels of Nigerian crude per day.  This news came during an interview at the Saudi-Nigeria business roundtable in Riyadh, underlining the refinery’s commitment to using domestically sourced crude and bolstering Nigeria’s energy independence. Dangote expressed his optimism for the refinery’s imminent production of petrol, stating, “We don’t want to start our refinery with foreign goods; we want to start with Nigerian crude. We’re more than ready,…

Daud Olatunji In a bid to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic process, the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) has undertaken a comprehensive observation effort for the off-season gubernatorial elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi. TMG said the elections  held on Saturday, November 11, 2023, mark significant milestones in Nigeria’s electoral calendar. The group in the statement issued by Chairman, Transitional Monitoring Group, Auwal Musa, said that as  part of its mandate, TMG established the Election Situation Analysis Centre (ESAC), utilizing advanced information and communication technologies (ICTs) to receive, process, and analyze citizen observer reports from the affected states.  The ESAC’s primary goal was…

The renowned lead pastor of the Divine Army Ministry International, Prophet Olusegun Akiode, is making bold claims about the future of Nigeria under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu. During an interactive session held at his church headquarters in Akute, Ogun State, Prophet Akiode confidently asserted that President Tinubu is destined to lead Nigeria into an era of prosperity, regardless of the current economic challenges facing the nation. In a statement that resonated with his followers, Prophet Akiode declared, “The Lord said He has placed the master key into Tinubu’s palms to open doors. Nigeria will experience economic transformation under…

 The early results in both Balyesa and Imo States during the Saturday elections show that the incumbent Governors Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party in Bayelsa   and APC’s Hope Uzodimma in Imo State were in early lead. However, the race remains fiercely contested in Kogi State, as Usman Ododo of the APC and Muri Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) were  in a tight contest. In Bayelsa State, early results indicate that Governor Diri, who seeks re-election, has taken a substantial lead in several local government areas. Notably, former President Goodluck Jonathan delivered his polling unit to the…

Daud Olatunji  The Labour Party has  categorically denied any involvement in the recent insurrection and airport attack attributed to supporters of Peter Obi, Joe Ajaero, and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).  The LP emphasized that it  had been unfairly blamed for actions committed by what they referred to as ‘mischievously afflicted’ individuals. The LP’s statement, signed by Dr. Abayomi Arabsmbi, the National Publicity Secretary, refuted claims made by the Hon Minister of Aviation and Aero Space Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo SAN, who had warned against the LP’s alleged attempts to destroy the labor movement in…