Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, stopped the Peoples Democratic Party from proceeding with its national convention scheduled for Saturday and Sunday in Ibadan, Oyo State, following the exclusion of former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, from the contest. Delivering judgment, Justice Peter Lifu ruled that the PDP violated its own constitution and guidelines by denying Lamido the opportunity to obtain the nomination form for the National Chairmanship position. The court also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from monitoring, supervising or recognising the outcome of any convention conducted without Lamido’s inclusion. Justice Lifu held that undisputed evidence…

The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has opened a sweeping investigation into the generation, remittance and management of stamp duty revenues across federal agencies, signalling what lawmakers describe as a renewed push for financial transparency in government. Committee chairman, Senator Aliyu Wadada, disclosed on Thursday that the probe was triggered by persistent concerns over alleged opacity, underreporting and mismanagement of proceeds from stamp duties — a key non-oil revenue source expected to bolster the nation’s dwindling finances. Wadada, a former banker, said the National Assembly would no longer tolerate loopholes in revenue administration, stressing that every kobo collected must reflect…

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, on Thursday disclosed that Nigeria is averting an estimated 18 million malaria cases every year through intensified national control efforts. Salako gave the figure while speaking in Abuja at the second day of the 2025 Nigeria Health Sector-Wide Joint Annual Review, themed “Strengthening Nigeria’s Health System Resilience for Sustainable and Inclusive Care.” He attributed the milestone to the federal government’s investments in the National Malaria Eradication Programme, including the distribution of over 63 million insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) between 2021 and 2023. The minister said the country now records…

…Commission Outlines Strict Monitoring Plan …Officials Urged To Embrace Transparency The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has issued a stern warning to local government officials nationwide, declaring that any abuse or mismanagement of council funds under the newly restored local government autonomy will attract decisive sanctions. ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, delivered the warning on Thursday in Jos at a capacity-building workshop on the Local Government Accountability Framework for LGAs in Nigeria. The programme was organised by the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (RoLAC), funded by the European Union and implemented by International IDEA. Represented…

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday led a 15-minute symbolic walk at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, to promote physical activity and healthy living as a key measure in the fight against diabetes. The event, which coincided with this year’s World Diabetes Day observed on November 14, drew participation from medical experts, security personnel of the Nigeria Police and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), as well as members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). Obasanjo, who has lived with diabetes for over three decades, did not speak to journalists after the exercise. However, Dr. Olalekan Makinde, Executive…

Two awaiting-trial inmates at the Uyo Custodial Centre, Akwa Ibom State, have died after a transformer explosion near the facility caused a high-voltage wire to snap and fall on a section of the prison. Two other inmates were also injured in the incident. The tragic event, which occurred about two weeks ago, threw the entire facility into darkness and destroyed several electrical appliances, including computers and household items belonging to correctional officers. Confirming the incident on Thursday, the Akwa Ibom State Controller of Corrections, Frank Okonkwo, described the explosion as “unfortunate and devastating,” noting that it claimed the lives of…

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has defended his controversial face-off with a naval officer over a disputed parcel of land in Abuja, saying he acted within his official mandate to protect government property and personnel from assault. Wike, who spoke with journalists before the FCT Executive Council meeting on Thursday, said his intervention at the disputed site in Gaduwa District was to stop what he described as “brazen impunity” by a retired Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo (retd.), who allegedly deployed serving naval officers to guard a private property under contention.…

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has dismissed as false reports circulating on social media claiming he donated a brand-new Toyota SUV to a naval officer involved in a recent confrontation with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. Atiku, in a statement issued on Thursday by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, described the viral claim as “entirely fabricated” and urged the public to disregard it. “His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, Vice President of Nigeria (1999–2007), did not gift Lt. Ahmed Yerima — or any other individual — a brand new Toyota SUV, contrary to the false reports currently circulating…

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed substandard and expired products worth over ₦20 billion in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, as part of efforts to rid the Nigerian market of unwholesome goods and protect public health. The exercise, which took place on Thursday at the Moniya dumpsite, involved the destruction of expired drugs, unsafe cosmetics, falsified medical products, and unwholesome processed foods confiscated from manufacturers, importers, and distributors across the South-West zone. The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, who was represented by the agency’s Deputy Director of Pharmaceutical Division, Investigation and Enforcement,…

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on the Federal Government to show genuine commitment to the ongoing renegotiation process, warning that failure to prioritise education could have “grievous consequences” for the nation’s future. The union made the call in a communiqué issued at the end of its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at Taraba State University, Jalingo, on November 8 and 9, 2025. ASUU’s President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, who signed the statement titled “Prioritise Education, Protect the Future,” accused the government of taking a “back-and-forth” approach to negotiations, a move he described as “counterproductive and capable…