Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to the shockwave triggered by the defection of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa, to the All Progressives Congress (APC), calling the development a “very sad and unfortunate” betrayal. Speaking at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja on Thursday during the presentation of the certificate of return to the party’s governorship candidate for Anambra State, Ezenwafor Jude, the PDP acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, said the party has handed over its future to divine providence. “We leave our fate in the hands of God, and we believe He will…

Former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has told members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who are no longer committed to its ideals to exit the party immediately, insisting that the time has come to rebuild the opposition with loyalists only. Saraki, who made the statement in reaction to recent defections from the PDP, said those who were no longer aligned with the vision of the party should clear the path for sincere and focused members. His remarks followed the defection of Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, to the All Progressives Congress (APC), and indications that his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa,…

Daud Olatunji In a move aimed at revitalizing Nigeria’s ailing healthcare sector, the Federal Government has unveiled sweeping reforms to unlock the nation’s healthcare value chain and reduce its overdependence on imported medical products. Speaking on Thursday, as a keynote speaker at the 47th International Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq  Salako, disclosed that the government is targeting $5 billion in private healthcare investments and aims to increase local production of health commodities to 70% by 2030. The…

Daud Olatunji Former Governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke, has called on the Federal Government to adopt an innovative healthcare funding model leveraging Nigeria’s telecom infrastructure by deducting N5 from every phone call to support a nationwide health insurance scheme. Duke made the suggestion on Thursday while speaking as the guest speaker at the Annual General Meeting and International Conference of the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners, held in Abeokuta, Ogun State. He explained that with over 157 million mobile subscribers in the country, a micro-deduction model could generate up to N9 trillion — an amount he…

Feyisayo Ogunbiyi Former Ogun State Governor and Senator representing Ogun East, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has attributed the increasing migration of Nigerian doctors to poor remuneration, calling for a separation of medical professionals from the traditional civil service pay structure. Speaking as chairman of the 47th International Conference and General Meeting of the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP) in Abeokuta on Thursday, Daniel stressed that Nigerian doctors are excelling globally but are undervalued at home. “The best surgeons and doctors abroad are either Nigerians or Indians. When you visit hospitals overseas, you find a large number of Nigerians practicing…

Balqees Adeniji The Ogun State Government has earmarked a staggering N12.3 billion for waste management operations through the Ogun State Waste Management Authority (OGWAMA) over a five-year period, PLATFORM TIMES can exclusively report. An analysis of the state’s budget documents from 2021 to 2025 reveals that a total of N12,320,553,919.96 has been allocated to OGWAMA to tackle the growing waste management challenges across urban and rural areas in the state. PLATFORM TIMES reports that the yearly breakdown shows a fluctuating but ultimately upward trend in the agency’s funding. In 2021, OGWAMA received N1.46 billion, which slightly dipped to N1.19 billion…

The World Bank has projected a grim outlook for Nigeria’s fight against poverty, warning that more Nigerians are expected to fall below the poverty line by 2027. According to the latest Africa’s Pulse report, released during the 2025 IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington, D.C., poverty in Nigeria and other resource-rich but fragile African economies is expected to rise by 3.6 percentage points between 2022 and 2027. The report attributed the looming rise in poverty to Nigeria’s overreliance on oil revenues, persistent economic fragility, and weak governance structures. “Poverty in resource-rich, fragile countries, including large economies like Nigeria…

A wave of concern has gripped stakeholders in the education sector following the dismal performance of Lagos State public school students in the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), despite the state government’s massive financial intervention. The Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Jamiu Tolani Alli-Balogun, on Thursday disclosed that no fewer than 26,592 public school students failed the examination, accounting for 45.7% of the 58,188 candidates presented by the state. Alli-Balogun made this known at a ministerial press briefing held in Alausa, Ikeja, revealing that the state had spent a staggering ₦1.577 billion to…

The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested three suspects in connection with the tragic death of an 18-year-old girl following complications from an unsafe abortion in Misau Local Government Area of the state. Spokesman of the Command, CSP Ahmed Wakil, confirmed the arrests in a statement on Thursday, noting that the incident was initially reported on April 4, 2025, though the events leading to the death occurred four months earlier. Wakil explained that preliminary investigations revealed that two of the suspects had lured the teenager and engaged in repeated sexual activities with her, resulting in an unintended pregnancy. “In a…

Ten leading commercial banks in Nigeria paid a combined N987.40bn in corporate income tax to the Federal Government in 2024, a reflection of surging profitability driven by high interest rates and government borrowing. The tax remittances were disclosed in the banks’ consolidated and separate financial statements filed with the Nigerian Exchange Limited for the year ended December 31, 2024. An analysis of the financial reports from Access Holdings, United Bank for Africa (UBA), First HoldCo Plc, Sterling Financial Holdings, Wema Bank, Zenith Bank, Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), Stanbic IBTC, Fidelity Bank, and FCMB shows a sharp rise in tax…