Author: Platform Times Newspaper

…Hails Abiodun, Daniel For Visionary Execution Public affairs analyst and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Otunba Segun Showunmi, has declared that the newly operational Gateway International Airport in Iperu-Ilishan will transform Ogun State into Nigeria’s foremost investment destination. Showunmi, who made the declaration on Thursday after arriving at the airport on a commercial flight from Abuja, said the multi-billion-naira facility had positioned Ogun as a true hub of economic prosperity and industrial expansion. He described the airport as “the most strategic infrastructure to unlock Ogun’s economic future,” stressing that the state now offers unmatched opportunities for investors seeking sustainable returns.…

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has declared that his successor in 2027 will emerge through the will of the people and not through political godfathers or entitlement politics. Makinde stated this on Thursday in Ibadan while flagging off the zonal stakeholders’ consultative forum and engagement meeting on the preparation of the 2026 Budget, stressing that only credible leaders with a clear development vision will enjoy the people’s mandate. “Oyo State has gone beyond the era of politics based on entitlement or propaganda,” the governor said. “Our people are now politically aware, and they will only support leaders who present…

 The Council of State on Thursday approved President Bola Tinubu’s recommendation for the presidential pardon of 175 Nigerians, including historic figures such as Herbert Macaulay, Major-General Mamman Vatsa (retd.), and members of the Ogoni Nine and Ogoni Four, executed during Nigeria’s military era. The decision, reached at a meeting held at the State House, Abuja, followed a presentation by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who conveyed the report of the Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy to the Council. Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, who briefed State House correspondents after the…

A Lagos Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja on Thursday admitted fresh documentary evidence against the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) linked him to an alleged $600,000 kickback. Justice Rahman Oshodi overruled objections by the defence team and admitted the additional documents presented by the prosecution as Exhibit G. The documents, according to the EFCC, were obtained directly from the CBN and other sources during investigations into the ongoing $4.5 billion fraud case. During the proceedings, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), continued the examination of an…

Daud Olatunji  Fresh details have emerged about the death of Arise Television news anchor, Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu, popularly known as Sommie, who died during a violent armed robbery attack at her residence in the Katampe area of Abuja. The Federal Capital Territory Police Command on Thursday disclosed that one of the arrested suspects, Sani Sirajo, confessed to attempting to hold the deceased journalist from falling off the storey building but was overpowered by her weight. Maduagwu reportedly plunged from the third floor of Unique Apartments, a 16-flat building, on September 29, during an attack by about 15 armed men, which…

The National Council of State has approved the appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The approval, which was granted during the council’s meeting on Thursday in Abuja, confirms earlier reports that President Bola Tinubu had nominated the Kogi-born legal scholar to succeed Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose 10-year tenure ended this month. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, announced the council’s decision in a statement, noting that President Tinubu presented Amupitan’s name to the council to fill the vacancy left by Yakubu. Onanuga described…

…Honours Correctional Officers For Excellence, Service To Humanity Uthman Ogunfolaji The African Emerging Leadership, Research and Development Organisation (AELRDO) has applauded the Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) for maintaining stability and preventing jailbreaks across custodial centres in the state. Speaking during the organisation’s Prize for Peace and Service to Humanity Award Ceremony held in Abeokuta, the Director of Research, Dr. Rhuefe Khaese, said Ogun remains one of the few states in the federation without any record of jailbreaks — a feat he attributed to the vigilance, professionalism, and discipline of correctional officers. “Ogun State has remained…

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Mr. Thompson Oludare Sunday, has called for deeper collaboration between the Corporation and the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) to address emerging risks and challenges confronting the nation’s financial system. A statement  issued by Hawwau Gambo, Head of Communication and Public Affairs Department, NDIC and made available to PLATFORM TIMES on Thursday, stated that Sunday made the call when the President and Chairman of Council of the CIBN, Prof. Pius Deji Olanrewaju, led members of his executive team on a courtesy visit to the…

…Aso Rock weighs loyalty, competence in final decision Daud Olatunji  Intense lobbying among political heavyweights has gripped Aso Rock as President Bola Tinubu finalises the appointment of a new chairman for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Barring last-minute adjustments, the President is expected to present his preferred nominee, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, to the National Council of State for approval today at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Professor Amupitan, a renowned legal scholar and current Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) of the University of Jos, hails from Aiyetoro-Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. He specialises in Corporate Law, Governance,…

… 19,000 fibre cuts, equipment theft hamper digital drive Nigeria’s ambition to achieve nationwide broadband access by 2025 received a major boost as 11 states have abolished charges on Right-of-Way (RoW) for fibre-optic cable installation, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced. The move, according to the NCC, is a significant step toward reducing deployment costs for telecom operators and accelerating internet connectivity across the country. The Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Aminu Maida, disclosed this on Wednesday at a business roundtable in Abuja, noting that the waiver demonstrates growing collaboration between the federal and state governments to…