Senate Passes Bill To STOP Discrimination Against HIV/AIDS Infected Persons.

The Senate on Thursday, passed the bill for an act to end all forms of discrimination against Persons Living with Human Immune Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). The passage of the HIV and AIDS Anti-Discrimination Bill, 2014, followed a clause by clause consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Health by a Committee of the Whole.

If the bill becomes law, it is expected to reduce the HIV burden through the prevention of discrimination and stigmatisation on the basis of real or perceived HIV status. It is expected to encourage voluntary testing and counselling, access to treatment, improved health outcomes and reduction of risky sex behaviour.

Photo of the Day

The picture was snapped on the set of 'Last Party' ... 17 years ago. The movie also stars Bimbo Akintola, Saint Obi and Ibinabo Fiberesima.

'HIV made me feel ugly and battered but no more' - Rolake Odetoyinbo

Before the interview - MEET Morolake Odetoyinbo, Executive Director and Founder of PATA

'Rolake studied Dramatic Arts at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, specialising in radio, film and TV production. She is an activist, advocate, writer, trainer, public speaker, and television and radio producer. She has at least fifteen years of experience in fighting for rights of the marginalised and the vulnerable.

A graduate of the African American HIV University in Los Angeles, she is an openly positive lady with a broad understanding of public health. She works on issues of HIV/AIDS, disabilities, sexual, reproductive and women's health.

She is a member of the Strategic and Technical Committee for WHO HIV Department, the Board Chairperson for the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC), Chair of the Global Fund's implementing Bloc and past Board Member, Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. She was recently honoured as one of the top 100 women globally delivering on women and girls. She holds multiple awards in Nigeria, Africa and globally.

2015: Stay away from N’Delta, APC tells Jonathan

THE All Progressives Congress has asked President Goodluck Jonathan and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party to stay away from the Niger Delta region ahead of the 2015 general elections.

The APC stated that the President and the PDP had no moral right to campaign for re-election in the Niger Delta due to their alleged neglect of the region.

Rivers State Interim Chairman of the party, Dr. Ikanya Davies, said in a statement on Thursday that the President should avoid campaigning in the oil-rich region since his kinsmen had rejected him for disappointing them.

The statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the state APC chairman, Chief Chukwuemeka Eze, recalled that the former Bayelsa Governor, Mr. Timipreye Sylva, had declared that the majority of Bayelsa people were not happy with Jonathan and wanted a change.

According to the statement, “Even though they lack shame, President Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party should for once respect themselves and stay away from the Niger Delta since even his kinsmen in Bayelsa State have rejected him for disappointing them.

Abuja jailbreak: SSS detains engineer for posting pictures

A Thirty-two-year-old engineer, Isiaka Yusuf, is reportedly being held by the State Security Service for posting pictures of the March 30 jailbreak by some detainees suspected to be members of the Boko Haram on Twitter.

Investigations by iPUNCH on Thursday showed that Isiaka — an employee of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company attached to the Aso Villa substation — was picked up from his office by SSS operatives on March 30, a few hours after the incident.

The Electrical and Electronics Engineering graduate of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, was allegedly busy at work while the security breach lasted.

He had posted six live pictures on his Twitter page, showing how SSS officials and soldiers battled to regain control of the secret service’s headquarters, located behind the Villa, from the detainees.

Further checks by iPUNCH on his Twitter page revealed that Isiaka’s last known public communication on the social network was the pictures and the accompanying tweets he posted in connection with the jailbreak on March 30.

Drama as Reps pass 2014 budget

The House of Representatives passed the 2014 budget on Thursday, increasing the total by N53bn.

President Goodluck Jonathan proposed a total of N4.642tn as estimates for this year, but like the Senate,  the House okayed N4.695tn.

Findings showed that both chambers earlier agreed on the figures during deliberations between their committees on appropriation and finance.

Just like the Senate did on Wednesday, the House passed N408,687,801,891 as statutory transfers;  N712,000,000,000  for  debt servicing; N2,454,887,566,702 as recurrent expenditure;   and N1,119,614,631,407 as capital expenditure,  thus  bringing the aggregate to N4,695,190,000,000.

However, there was some drama preceding the clause by clause consideration of the budget by the House members.

Nigeria move up in FIFA rankings

The Super Eagles are now 45th in the latest FIFA rankings released by the world football body on Thursday. The team moved up two places despite losing six points in the log.

The rankings placed Nigeria as Africa’s sixth best just above Tunisia which dropped five places to 49th in the world courtesy of their 44 points loss.

Ahead of Nigeria in the Africa sub-group are Cote d’Ivoire (21st), Egypt (24th), Algeria (25th), Ghana (38th) and Cape Verde (42nd).

See Actress Toyin Aimakhu's Beautiful Sister (PHOTO)

The Woman in The Picture is Popular Actress Toyin Aimakhu's Elder Sister!

Toke Makinwa Becomes The New Face Of Maggi Chicken (PHOTOS).

Nigerian media personality Toke Makinwa-Ayida who was named one of the faces of Lipton Tea in 2013 and had a short gig with Chicken Republic, was unveiled in the presence of select stakeholders and the press in Lagos, as the Maggi Chicken brand ambassador, today Wednesday 9th April 2014. According to Nestle PR reps, Toke will front a campaign for Maggi for a duration of 3 months.

James Ibori may not return a dime of the money he stole as governor

According to new reports, former Delta State governor James Ibori may not return a dime of the money he stole as governor for eight years. Find the report from UK Daily Mail below...

A former Wickes cashier who became a Nigerian state governor and defrauded £157m of public funds to live a lavish lifestyle may not have to pay a single penny back.

James Ibori, 51, is said to have personally pocketed £50million of cash stolen from the west African nation’s oil-rich Delta State during his eight-year tenure.

The former £5,000-a-year Wickes cashier blew millions on luxury homes, a £12.6million private jet, fees at some of the UK’s most expensive boarding schools for his children, first-class travel and exclusive hotels.

Chris Attoh and Damilola Adegbite expecting their first child

Actors and co-stars Damilola Adegbite and Chris Attoh are expecting their first child as Dami is said to be pregnant. She's even already showing. The couple have since postponed their wedding, which was initially scheduled for this weekend April 12th. They are planning to wed after Dami gives birth.. or they will just have a quiet wedding when no one is looking...:-). Congrats to them.

Source: Lindaikeji

Nuella Is My Missing Rib--Tchidi Chikere Confesses

On Saturday, March 29, 2014, Nollywood director, Tchidi Chikere and his actress lover, Nuella Njubigbo tied the knot traditionally amidst controversies. Before the wedding, it was alleged that Neulla snatched the handsome man from his estranged wife, Sophia, who is also an actress.

In an interview with Encomium magazine, Tchidi described his new wife as his missing rib and also disclosed that members of his family have accepted Nuella as his wife.

"I have the support of my family, who have fully accepted Nuella. Having concluded all the traditional rites, she is now with me in Mbaise. My people have given her wrappers and taken her to the farm. We are very happy. This looks more like my first marriage. In fact, Nuella is my missing rib," Tchidi said.

NIGERIAFILMS

Actress Chika Ike: I Can Only Marry A Man That Will Make Me Happy

Nollywood actress Chika Ike, has revealed that she is set to marry again once the ideal man walks up to her.

According to the brand Ambassador of energy drink, ‘Bullet,’ who was once married to Tony Eberiri in 2006 before they officially got divorced in 2013, said that she was once a victim of domestic violence when she married and almost lost her life in the process.

“I don’t want to talk about the divorce because it is already in the past and I have since moved on. I am still open to marriage and I might give it a second shot because I believe in love. For now, I am most concerned with my own happiness”.

Dino Melaye's Ex-Wife Files Fresh Divorce Suit

Tokunbo Melaye, the estranged wife of onetime member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dino Melaye, has according to CityPeople magazine, filed a fresh divorce suit few weeks after she withdrew the original suit.

This time, Tokunbo is asking the court to share everything the former Honourable member has into 2, including his exotic and expensive cars. In addition to the cars, she also listed all Dino’s properties in
Abuja, and Lokoja, asking the court to share the properties in 2 equal parts.

Aircraft with 57 passengers makes air return

A passenger aircraft belonging to Overland Airways, which left Ibadan for Abuja on Monday, had to abandon the journey around Minna, Niger State and make a detour to Lagos for emergency landing, after its windshield was broken.

The plane, which left Ibadan around 8am, had on board a former President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Mr. Lanre Ogundipe, an officer in the Accountant-General of the Federation’s office, Mr. Demola Akinlabi, and 55 others.

Ogundipe, who spoke to our correspondent from Abuja on the incident, said the aircraft was in good condition before the windshield broke, adding that a major tragedy was miraculously averted.

“We started well but midway around Minna in Niger State, the pilot made a detour to Lagos, which was strange. We later got to know that the windshield broke and the flight could not continue for long,” he said.

Ogundipe added that the passangers had to be evacuated and put in another aircraft, which arrived Abuja in the afternoon.

Fayose: Aggrieved PDP leaders give Jonathan ultimatum

Some aggrieved leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State have given President Goodluck Jonathan a five-day ultimatum to intervene in the crisis rocking the party over the emergence of former Governor Ayo Fayose and Senator Gbenga Aluko as the  governorship candidates of the party.

One of the leaders of the PDP in the state, Chief Feyisayo Fajuyi, who led other party leaders to a press conference in Ado Ekiti on Monday, called on the President to declare null and void the primary election which produced Fayose.

Fajuyi said that the process which led to the primary election of March 22 was fraught with irregularities saying based on this, the election should be annulled.

Other leaders who attended the press conference were: Chief Bankole Fayori (Irepodun/Ifelodun), Oluwalana Ayobami (youth president), Chief Ajayi (Ise/Orun),  Mrs.  Foluke Adetunji (Ekiti West), Mr.  Akinola Adams (Ijero-Ekiti) and Biodun Ajibadeola (Ikole-Ekiti).

$510bn Gross Domestic Product: Investors not attracted by size of economy –World Bank

That Nigeria now has the largest economy in Africa after rebasing its Gross Domestic Product will not necessarily pull foreign investment into the country, the World Bank has said.

Experts from the World Bank said    that policies and profitability were more critical factors in determining the destination of Foreign Direct Investments.

They spoke during the release of Africa’s Pulse – an analysis of issues shaping Africa’s economic future through video conference in Washington, United States on Monday.

The conference which had participation of journalists from 12 countries in Africa was moderated from Washington. It was addressed by the Chief Economist, World Bank, Africa Region, Mr. Francisco Ferreira, and the Lead Economist, World Bank, Africa Region, Punam Chuhan-Pole.

After rebasing the economy, the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics put the nation’s GDP at $510bn ahead of South Africa’s $370bn.

But the experts said the standard of living of individuals in a country was also a critical factor in determining what is happening in the country and not the state of its GDP alone.

Apo killings: NHRC indicts Army, DSS

The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, yesterday, said its investigations revealed that eight persons that were killed by a joint team of the Nigerian Army and operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, at an uncompleted building situated at the Apo District of the Federal Capital Territory on September 20, 2013, were not members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect as was alleged by security agencies.
In a report it released yesterday, the commission, which had earlier conducted a public hearing on the matter, said there was no shred of evidence to show that the deceased victims belonged to the dreaded Jama’atu ahlus sunnah lid da’awati wal jihad, also known as Boko Haram.

Compensation

Consequently, the commission ordered the Federal Government to pay N10 million compensation to each of the families of the eight deceased persons as well as pay N5 million to each of the 11 injured survivors.
More so, the NHRC directed the Attorney‑General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, to ensure that evidence of payment of the compensation was lodged with the registry of the commission within 30 days from yesterday.

Ibadan Horror: Forensic experts exhume bodies, collect victims’ property

FORENSIC pathologists, yesterday, began exhuming bodies of some victims of the Soka kidnappers’ den in Ibadan for forensic analysis.
The experts were drawn from the University College Hospital, Ibadan, and Nigeria Police from Abuja. This came just as the police dismissed rumours that some victims were still trapped underground.
According to Superintendent of Police Olabisi Ilobanafor, the Public Relations Officer of Oyo State Command, “how can a human being survive underground for more than three weeks without food or drink? Where will they get power to charge the phone people have been saying someone was calling with?
“It is a mere rumour and figment of their imagination. People should not carry rumours that will have psychological effects on families of missing people.

Atiku Abubakar's Son Dubai Wedding - Pics.

former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, (r) introducing the parents of his son's wife Mrs Margarita, (1st r) and Mr Nadim Saleby to Chief Bisi Akande, Interim National Chairman of APC at the wedding reception of Atiku's son, Abubakar A. Abubakar and his bride Mariana Nadim in Dubai over the weekend.

The groom Abubakar Atiku Abubakar and his mother Hajiya Ladi Atiku Abubakar