Author: Platform Times Newspaper

In an unprecedented political development in Rivers State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have struck a rare alliance ahead of the August 30, 2025, local government elections by jointly adopting consensus candidates across the 23 local government areas. Most of the nominated candidates are either former council chairmen or loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who is widely perceived as the architect of the new alliance despite his PDP affiliation. Wike’s influence in Rivers politics appears unshaken, as both parties now align with his political structure, creating ripples across…

A socio-political group, The Alternative Movement, has launched an intensive grassroots mobilisation campaign across Ogun State, urging citizens to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and prepare to actively participate in the 2027 general elections. The campaign train made a stop in Atan, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area on Friday, where members of the group engaged residents on the importance of political participation as a tool for change. The move follows a recent disclosure by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that over one million PVCs remain uncollected in Ogun State alone — a situation The Alternative Movement describes as alarming…

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has issued a damning warning that Nigeria’s social fabric could be irreparably damaged if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are re-elected in 2027. Speaking on Saturday in Sokoto at a grassroots mobilisation rally organised by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), El-Rufai declared that Tinubu’s continuation in power would be a grave threat to Nigeria’s unity and survival. “I believe that if we allow this party and the government to continue for a second term in office, what remains of Nigeria’s social capital will be destroyed, and we may not…

The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) has called on the Federal Government to extend the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to cover postgraduate students, citing the rising financial challenges faced by graduates seeking further education. This appeal was among the key resolutions contained in the communiqué issued at the end of the 2025 National Higher Institution Convention of Muslim Students (NHICOMS), which concluded on Saturday at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State. The convention, held between July 31 and August 3, brought together hundreds of Muslim students from universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across Nigeria under the theme…

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abeokuta Branch, has recorded notable achievements within the first month of its new leadership, led by Chairman, Chief ‘Kayode Aderemi. PLATFORM TIMES reports that the developments made in July 2025 include initiatives aimed at improving member welfare, strengthening infrastructure, and building partnerships. According to a statement obtained from the branch leadership, among the key achievements is the free distribution of official NBA ID cards to members to aid identification and access to branch benefits. The statement added that the branch also entered into a partnership with OOPL Cinemas to offer members discounted movie tickets, and…

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has called on state governments to make the use of life jackets compulsory for all boat passengers as part of a broader effort to curb avoidable deaths on the nation’s waterways. This appeal was made by the NSIB Director of Transport Investigation, Mr. Abdullahi Babanya, in an interview while highlighting the Bureau’s expanded mandate to investigate transport incidents beyond aviation — including marine, rail, and road accidents. Babanya described as alarming the frequency of deadly boat mishaps, citing a recent tragedy in Shiroro, Niger State, where a boat carrying 39 passengers capsized, leaving 13…

Less than one percent of Nigeria’s over 35 million persons living with disabilities (PWDs) are employed in professional roles, a disability rights advocate, Olusola Adeyefa, has revealed. Adeyefa, the Co-Founder of the Ability Impact Centre, disclosed this during a programme on Channels Television, where he decried the widespread exclusion of PWDs from the labour market due to structural, attitudinal, and educational barriers. According to him, the root of the problem lies in the unaffordability and inaccessibility of quality education for most PWDs, making it difficult for them to compete in the professional space. > “Realistically, we have less than one…

The Olubadan-in-Council will on Monday, August 4, convene a crucial meeting to begin the official process for appointing the next Olubadan of Ibadanland following the expiration of the traditional 21-day mourning period for the late monarch, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin. Oba Olakulehin, the 43rd Olubadan, passed away on July 7, 2025, at the age of 90, after barely a year on the throne. His transition has paved the way for the ascension of High Chief Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja, a former governor of Oyo State and the current Otun Olubadan. The meeting, slated for 11 a.m. at the new Olubadan Palace, Oke-Aremo…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has barred all candidates of the Labour Party (LP) from participating in the upcoming August 16 bye-elections across the country, citing unresolved internal party crises. The exclusion, which has sparked outrage among factions within the party, is reportedly linked to the leadership tussle that has divided the LP into rival camps. As of press time, INEC has not issued an official explanation for its decision, and efforts to reach the Commission’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, were unsuccessful. Reacting to the development, the faction of the Labour Party loyal to Esther Nenadi Usman…

Hundreds of women, including mothers and married women, on Saturday stormed the streets of Kano in a peaceful but powerful protest against the escalating wave of gang violence that has gripped the state. Chanting solidarity songs and wielding placards with bold inscriptions such as “Stop the Bloodshed!”, “Protect Our Children!” and “End Yandaba Attacks Now!”, the women lamented the frequent violent clashes perpetrated by notorious street gangs known as Yandaba, which they say have turned their neighbourhoods into killing fields. The protest, which disrupted normal activities in some parts of the city, brought to the fore the growing frustration among…