Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has recorded an impressive turnout in the first phase of its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), with over 505,906 Nigerians completing their online pre-registration within just five days. INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this on Friday in Abuja during the official flag-off of the nationwide sensitisation campaign for the CVR. Yakubu, who was represented by National Commissioner Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, said the figure reflects Nigerians’ eagerness to participate in the democratic process. “As at midnight of Thursday, August 22, more than 505,906 citizens had pre-registered on the portal since it opened on Monday. For…

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has disclosed that none of his political aides earns less than ₦1 million monthly, a revelation that has sparked mixed reactions across the state. Eno, who made the declaration during a public address in Uyo on Friday, said the policy was part of his administration’s commitment to motivate appointees and ensure effective service delivery. “None of my political aides earns less than ₦1 million monthly,” the governor stated, insisting that fair remuneration was necessary to meet the high cost of living and the demands of governance. The announcement comes at a time when debates…

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has blamed decades of political interference, corruption, and policy instability for the persistent failure of Nigeria’s state-owned refineries. The association insisted that the collapse of the facilities was not due to a lack of technical expertise among Nigerians, but rather the deliberate denial of workers’ access to tools, resources, and the enabling environment needed to keep the refineries functional. PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, stated this on Friday at the ongoing 4th PENGASSAN and Labour Summit (PEALS 2025) in Abuja, with the theme: “Building a Resilient Oil and Gas Sector…

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has dismissed claims by former Super Eagles defender Taribo West that it abandoned the families of late football legends, Peter Rufai and Christian Chukwu, insisting that it provided both moral and financial support during their burials. West, in an emotional outburst at Rufai’s funeral in Lagos on Friday, accused the federation and the Lagos State Government of neglecting the late goalkeeper’s family, forcing them to seek funds to give him a befitting burial. The ex-international went as far as vowing never to allow his son to play for Nigeria, describing the treatment of Rufai and…

Amnesty International has raised fresh concerns over the worsening insecurity in Nigeria after at least 65 people were killed in separate attacks across the country this week. The global rights body, in a statement on Friday, condemned what it described as the Federal Government’s “stunning failure” to protect lives and property despite repeated promises to end bloodshed. “This week alone, at least 65 people have been killed in horrific attacks,” the organisation stated. “In Katsina State, over 50 worshippers were gunned down inside a mosque, while more than 60 others were abducted. “In Plateau State, at least 15 farmers were…

… Says Nigeria celebrates soldiers, abandons sports heroes Former Super Eagles coach, Augustine Eguavoen, has berated the Nigerian government for what he described as the consistent neglect of the nation’s football legends, lamenting that the late goalkeeper, Peter Rufai, did not receive the honour he deserved in death. Speaking emotionally at Rufai’s funeral rites in Lagos, Eguavoen described the former national team captain as a “household name” whose sacrifices for the country on the global stage should have attracted greater recognition from government and football authorities. “Peter Rufai is too big for a name that the government and people in…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has called on Nigerians who lost money to the collapsed Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX) scheme to report at its offices in Lagos and Ibadan to aid ongoing investigations. The anti-graft agency said the move was necessary to gather more evidence against suspects currently being prosecuted for their alleged involvement in the scheme that defrauded thousands of investors with promises of unrealistic returns of up to 88 per cent. In a statement issued on Friday by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the EFCC urged affected victims to visit its Ibadan Zonal…

Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, has revealed that he was ridiculed and rejected because of his albinism during the build-up to the 2023 governorship election. Eno, who spoke in a video shared on his verified X handle on Thursday, said his skin condition was weaponised by political opponents to discredit him and dampen his chances at the polls. “Some people who had nothing else to say told the world that they did not want an albino governor. But my wife stood by me and said, ‘To me, you are my golden boy,’” Eno recalled. The governor, who…

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has launched a fresh attack on Nigeria’s judiciary, accusing judges of turning the courts into marketplaces where justice is sold to the highest bidder. In his new book, Nigeria: Past and Future, published by the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), the former leader lamented what he described as the “precipitous fall” of judicial integrity since the return of democracy in 1999. According to him, the courts have drifted from their constitutional role, becoming what he called a “court of corruption rather than a court of justice.” “The reputation of the Nigerian judiciary has steadily gone down…

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has alerted Nigerians to the circulation of counterfeit Cowbell “Our Milk” sachets, warning that consumption of the fake product poses serious health risks. In a statement issued on Friday, the agency explained that Promasidor Nigeria Limited, the official producer of Cowbell milk, had stopped manufacturing the “Our Milk” variant since September 2023, replacing it with Cowbell “Our Creamy Goodness.” Despite this, unscrupulous producers have flooded the market with counterfeit 12g sachets mimicking the discontinued packaging, complete with the Cowbell brand name, NAFDAC registration number, and official design. “These counterfeit…