Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Grace Adeleke The Indigenous People of Biafra has given the Federal Government 14 days to ensure that the appeal against the conviction of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, is listed and heard, threatening a total boycott of elections across the South-East and other parts of “Biafraland” if its demand is ignored. IPOB issued the ultimatum in a statement on Tuesday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful. The group accused the Federal Government of displaying urgency during Kanu’s prosecution and conviction but failing to demonstrate the same commitment in ensuring that his appeal is heard. “IPOB therefore gives Nigeria fourteen…

Zainab Abioye The Lagos State Police Command has denied using tear gas against protesting pensioners in Alausa, Lagos, describing a photograph circulating on social media as artificially generated and unrelated to Monday’s demonstration. The Command said about 500 members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Lagos State Council, participated in the protest over their grievances concerning outstanding pensions, gratuities and other entitlements. The police, in a statement issued on Tuesday by the command’s spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, said no tear-gas canister was fired throughout the protest. The Command described reports that the retirees were tear-gassed as “false and misleading,” insisting…

Oluwanifemi Ibikunle The Defence Headquarters has said the planned withdrawal of about 200 United States military personnel from Nigeria does not amount to a breakdown or termination of the security partnership between Abuja and Washington. The military said the reduction in the number of US personnel was a mission-specific adjustment linked to evolving operational requirements and should not be interpreted as a sign that Nigeria had lost the confidence or support of its American security partner. The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Samaila Uba, stated this on Tuesday while responding to journalists’ questions during a security briefing organised…

Daud Olatunji A former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa, has warned that politicians must be prevented from controlling the recruitment of personnel and procurement of arms for proposed state police formations. Aondoakaa said allowing politicians to influence recruitment could result in state police commands being populated with loyalists, thereby undermining professionalism, neutrality and public confidence in the institution. The former AGF made the submission while speaking on Arise TV on Monday, stressing the need for a clear federal legal framework to regulate the establishment and operations of state police. He argued that recruitment into state…

Mujeeb Akindoyin The African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has promised to review the operations of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund and introduce debt forgiveness for eligible beneficiaries if elected. Atiku said young Nigerians should not be forced to begin their working lives under the burden of education loans, stressing that access to education should not translate into long-term financial hardship. His position was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, in response to President Bola Tinubu’s recent comments on X defending the Federal Government’s student loan scheme. According…

Below is  Daud Olatunji The Federal Government has made participation in the national tertiary education ranking exercise compulsory for all universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in Nigeria. The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced the policy on Tuesday in Abuja during a meeting with the Nigerian Universities Ranking Advisory Committee. The committee has consequently been expanded and renamed the Nigerian Tertiary Education Ranking Advisory Committee to reflect its broader mandate. Alausa said the unified ranking framework was aimed at strengthening quality, accountability, institutional performance and the global competitiveness of Nigeria’s tertiary education system. According to him, the ranking will…

…PDP kicks, calls action unconstitutional, political persecution The Kwara State House of Assembly has declared the seats of two lawmakers who defected from the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party vacant. The affected lawmakers are Saba Yisa Gideon, representing Edu State Constituency, and Olusola Odetundun, representing Irepodun State Constituency. The Assembly took the decision during its sitting on Tuesday after receiving a letter from the APC State Chairman, Sunday Fagbemi, requesting that the lawmakers’ seats be declared vacant following their defection. Fagbemi based the request on Section 109(1)(g)(2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, arguing that the…

Daud Olatunji The Ogun State Government has raised a fresh flood alert, warning residents of vulnerable communities to prepare for possible flooding as the second phase of the 2026 rainy season begins. The government urged residents living along riverbanks, floodplains and other vulnerable areas to remain vigilant and relocate to safer locations where necessary. The warning was contained in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, following the latest weather projections by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency. According to the commissioner, NiMet’s Seasonal Climate Prediction indicates that the second phase of the rainy season is expected to commence…

Daud Olatunji Egbin Power Limited has commenced the 11th edition of its annual scholarship programme, with more than 250 pupils and students from its host communities participating in the opening pre-test exercise. The programme, which is designed to support outstanding pupils and students in primary and secondary schools, is part of the company’s corporate social responsibility initiative aimed at improving access to quality education and developing young talents within its host communities. The 2026 edition also reinforces Egbin Power’s commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 4, which promotes inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities. Beyond academic support, the…

By Favour Godwin The first time I came across the video of the UBA graduate trainee addressing Tony Elumelu with, “Good morning, Tony,” I noticed something beyond the words themselves. There was the shyness on her face. There was the apparent tension in the exchange. There was also the way Tony Elumelu himself handled the moment. The incident occurred during the graduation ceremony of UBA’s Graduate Management Accelerated Programme, where the trainee addressed Elumelu as “Tony.” He initially appeared to mishear her, asking, “Toyin? Toyin?” before she clarified. He then told her she should address him as “Mr Elumelu” or…