Breaking: Ramadan fasting to begin on Thursday, May 17 - Saudi says

Saudi Arabia has declared Thursday, May 17, as the
first day of Ramadan
- The religious authorities in the Kingdom said the new
moon of Ramadan was not spotted on Tuesday evening
- Thus, the month of Shaaban will end on Wednesday,
May 16, while Ramadan fasting will begin on Thursday,
May 17
Saudi Arabia said that the Ramadan fasting will
begin on Thursday, May 17, across the globe, the
official Saudi news agency SPA reported on
Tuesday, May 15.
The new moon of Ramadan was not spotted on
Tuesday evening and Wednesday will mark the
last day of the Islamic month of Shaaban, SPA
said, citing religious authorities in the kingdom.
The beginning and end of Islamic months are
determined by the sighting of the new moon.
Egypt’s Mufti, the country’s top religious
authority, said in a televised speech that the holy
month will start on Thursday in the most
populous Arab country.


Also, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Iraq’s
Sunni Muslim minority also announced that the
holy month of Ramadan will start on Thursday.
During Ramadan, Muslims have to abstain from
eating, drinking and smoking from dawn to
sunset.
Devout Muslims also mark the month by intense
worship, performing special nightly prayers and
reading Islam’s holy book, the Koran.
Fasting is one of Islam’s five pillars, alongside
declaration of monotheism, prayer five times a
day, alms-giving, and the pilgrimage to Mecca in
Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, adegokblog .com previously reported that the
sum of N63.5 million was approved by the
governor of Yobe state, Ibrahim Gaidam, for
providing Ramadan feeding for the less
privileged,
The development was made public in a statement
released by the governor’s director general of
press affairs, Abdullahi Bego.
The money would also reportedly cover the
conduct of Tafsir during the Ramadan months.
Bego disclosed that the free feeding would be in
42 centers across the state’s 17 local government
areas.

Saraki leads 10-man delegation to Buhari over alleged attempt by IGP to implicate him

Bukola Saraki is set to lead a 10-man delegation to
President Muhammadu Buhari over alleged attempt to
implicate him
- The Senate president said the Kwara state Governor
Abdulfatai Ahmed brought his attention to an alleged
plan by the IG of police to force some suspects to
implicate him in a criminal matter
- Members of the delegation are the leader of the
Senate Ahmed Lawan, the chief whip Olusola Adeyeye,
minority whip Godswill Akpabio
The president of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki is
set to lead a 10-man delegation to President
Muhammadu Buhari over alleged attempt to
implicate him in a criminal matter.
This followed an explanation on the matter by
Saraki at plenary on Wednesday.
Members of the delegation are the leader of the
Senate Ahmed Lawan, the chief whip Olusola
Adeyeye, minority whip Godswill Akpabio, Sen.
Oluremi Tinubu (APC-Lagos) and Sen. Raji Rasaki
(APC-Ekiti).
Others are Senator Aliyu Wammakko (APC-
Sokoto), Senator Sam Egwu (PDP-Ebonyi),
Senator Danjuma Goje (APC-Gombe) and Senator
Abdullahi Adamu (APC-Nasarawa).
While addressing his colleagues, Saraki said the
Kwara state governor Abdulfatai Ahmed brought
his attention to an alleged plan by the inspector
general of police, Ibrahim Idris, to force some
suspects to implicate him in a criminal matter.
He said the governor informed him that the
suspects who were arrested in Kwara for cultism
were allegedly ordered by Idris to Abuja to force
them into altering their statements.
“According to information available to the governor, the
inspector general of police directed the commissioner of
police in Kwara state to immediately transfer the men to
the force headquarters
” The plan as the governor was made to understand is that
under duress, the suspects would be made to alter the
statements already made in Ilorin.
“They will be made to implicate the Kwara state
government and myself in particular in their new statement.
” This plot is part of the strategy by the IGP to settle scores
over the declaration by this honourable chamber that he is
not qualified and competent to hold any public office.
“In my view, this plot is an act of desperation, blackmail,
intimidation, abuse of office and crude tactics aimed at
turning our country into a police state.
“The tactics is aimed at turning the country into a state
where top officials cannot be made to obey the law, follow
due process and subject themselves to constituted
authorities.
“I want to bring this dangerous development to the
attention of all of you, the entire country and the
international community so that you can be aware of the
level of impunity in our country and the danger it
constitutes to our democracy,” he said.
Contributing, the deputy leader of the Senate,
Bala Na’ Allah said the matter should be treated
with the seriousness it deserved.
He said for the matter to come from the chief
security officer of Kwara state, it should be taken
seriously.
He called for the setting up of a committee to
investigate the matter, adding that: “In view of
the fact that Saraki is involved he should step
down for Ekweremadu to preside on setting up of
the committee.”
Senator Gbenga Ashafa-(APC-Lagos) said the
committee should comprise of members of the
Senate and the House of Representatives in view
of the fact that Saraki is the chairman of the
national assembly.
The chief whip, Olusola Adeyeye, said the
committee should comprise of seven lawmakers
from each of the six geopolitical zones
He added that the House of Representatives
should be intimated on the development and
advised to do same if they so wished.
Senator Sam Anyanwu(PDP-Imo) lamented the
fact that lawmakers were being intimidated from
carrying out their responsibilities.
He said : “We should not trivialise this matter. If it is
happening to Saraki then we are all in trouble.
” Many of us have been earmarked. It is a calculated
attempt to ridicule the person and integrity of the Senate
President and the national assembly as an institution.”
Senator Kabiru Marafa(APC-Zamfara) suggested
that rather than setting up a committee to
investigate the matter, the committee should visit
President Buhari to inform him of the
development.
“There is already a problem between us and the IGP, so I
suggest that we raise a committee as suggested by others
but instead of investigating they should sit down with
President Buhari to discuss the matter.
“This is not a joke as it can turn democracy upsidedown.
“If we investigate, where are we to take our resolutions to.
They might end up inviting the IG and what if he still
doesn’t appear again,” he said.
Marafa said visiting the president on the matter
and other related matters had become necessary
as it was obvious that he was not in the picture
of some of the problems lawmakers were facing.
Senator Emmanuel Bwacha(PDP-Taraba) decried
increased spate of intimidation of lawmakers.
He also suggested that the matter should be
taken to the president, stressing that,” he ought
to know that our democracy is collapsing. “
Adegokblog .com had reported that the Senate president,
Bukola Saraki, alleged that there is an ongoing
plot by the Inspector General of Police (IGP),
Ibrahim Idris, to implicate him in a crime.
Saraki, who made the allegation on Wednesday,
May 16, during plenary.

Breaking: Senate passes 2018 budget

Following the consideration and adoption of the
report by the joint National Assembly Committee on
Appropriation, the Nigeria Senate has on Wednesday,
May 16, finally passed the 2018 Appropriation Bill .
The Senate increased the proposal of N8.612
trillion presented by President Muhammadu
Buhari in December last year to N9.120trn.
Recall that the report was laid before the Senate
on Tuesday, May 15, while the lawmakers
considered and adopted it at an extended
plenary on Wednesday.


The Nigerian Senate @NGRSenate1h
Replying to @NGRSenate
Senate reverts back to Plenary and
reports progress.
The Nigerian Senate
@NGRSenate
2018 Appropriation Bill (SB. 575) is read the Third Time
and PASSED #Budget2018
3:56 PM - May 16, 2018
20 37 people are talking about this
The 2018 budget has been on the front burner in
recent times as many people have blamed the
national assembly for purposely delaying the
budget as using it as a tool against the executive.
However, the national assembly had maintained
that the delays were due to the ministries,
departments and agencies of government (MDAs)
who have failed to submit their details within the
stipulated time.
The president of the Senate and head of the
national assembly, Dr Bukola Saraki had assured
that the budget will be treated with the
uttermost urgency which it deserves.

Meanwhile, adegokblog .com had reported that the
Senate may pass the 2018 budget on Thursday,
May 3, after receiving a report on the document
from its joint committee on appropriation.
The joint committee on appropriation was
expected to present the report on the 2018
N8.612tn budget to the National Assembly in
preparation for passage of the budget.