•To lobby S’West, S’East lawmakers
From ADETUTU FOLASADE-KOYI, Abuja
More facts yesterday emerged over the North’s opposition to the new Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) re-introduced by President Goodluck Jonathan. The President forwarded the new PIB to the National Assembly in July 2012. Lawmakers were, however, unable to commence work on the bill as it coincided with their summer recess. But the North resisted attempts by Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba to lead the debate which would start the crucial second reading of the bill.
Chairman of the Senate Public Accounts Committee, Ahmad Lawan (ANPP, Yobe North) galvanised opposition when he raised a motion that debate on the bill be suspended. He cited Order 56 (12) (d) of the Senate Standing Rules to back his motion and argued that the bill required more than one day’s debate, noting that it would require “at least, three to five days to debate it.”
His northern colleagues backed him and responded with shouts of No! No! No! when Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who presided at plenary on that day, tried to restore order. The more Ekweremadu tried to persuade the chamber to allow Ndoma-Egba lead the debate, the more the session became restive and rowdy. Eventually, the nays had the day and Deputy Minority Leader Sani Yerima seconded the motion that it should be stepped down till another legislative day.
It was not re-introduced until the Senate went on its yuletide recess. Two weeks ago, Chairman of the Housing Committee, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, also gave an insight into the North’s opposition to the bill. He stated that the region is against the bill because of its proposal of additional 10 per cent of oil revenue to the oil-producing states. Ibrahim, a former governor of Yobe State, told reporters penultimate Monday that such proposal could further polarise the nation, saying that the additional funds being proposed for the oil producing states should rather go to the treasury for the benefits of all Nigerians.
“This issue of oil producing communities getting 10 per cent of whatever is gotten from oil in addition to all sources of revenue for the oil producing states which has now divided the country into two, with oil producing states having more than what they need and squandering the oil riches and the non-oil producing states which are more in number hardly surviving, hardly paying salaries and hardly doing anything, has to stop. “Nobody planted or farmed oil. God put it there. The oil will not last forever. It’ll get to a stage when it will disappear and other resources will be relevant.
If Nigeria remains one, we expect these other resources to be made available for all Nigerians. We know that at one stage, the South-South was criminally marginalised; but today, they know what is happening. They have taken it too far to the right from their own side.
They need to balance it so that the so-called non-oil producing states will not rise against the oil producing states and further polarise the already polarised society. Bukar also described as unacceptable, the powers which the bill confers on the Petroleum Resources Minister to determine the operations of the oil and gas industry.
“The powers of the minister must be reduced”, he said. In an abridged commentary on the bill, an independent study commissioned by the region, a copy of which was obtained by Daily Sun, the area specifically wants the Jonathan administration to revert to some clauses in the original bill introduced by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
The late Yar’Adua hailed from Katsina State in the North-West. In a move designed to secure the economic future of the region since the world is looking for energy alternatives outside oil, the North now wants the Jonathan’s government to commence serious work in hydrocarbon exploration and gas-oriented projects in the North. The government of the late Yar’Adua, they contended, had incorporated these in the version of the PIB he forwarded to the National Assembly in 2008.
A part of the abridged commentary reads: “The new institutional structure being proposed for the country’s oil and gas industry does not create a framework for any serious or effective exploration for hydrocarbons in the frontier acreages of the country’s six sedimentary basins, four of which are in the northern section of the nation. “The new Petroleum Technical Bureau to be located in the office of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, which takes over the responsibilities of NNPC’s Frontier Exploration Services cannot really be a substitute for the National Frontier Exploration Services (NFES) that was earlier proposed in the version of the bill sent to the National Assembly by the late President Yar’Adua.”
On another flank, the region is worried about the seeming inability of “the management of the petroleum industry to prioritise gas supply to the North.” To resolve the problem, since “the Ajaokuta-Kano gas pipeline has consistently remained in the back burner of all gas utilization plans in the country, the only way to ensure gas supply to the North over more export-oriented gas projects by operators in the industry is (to) ensure that the terms of domestic supply obligations and pricing regulations signed by the Yar’Adua administration are incorporated in the new petroleum industry legislation.”
The region is also reportedly lobbying federal lawmakers from the South-West and some states in the South-East to sustain its opposition to the new PIB. A ranking lawmaker from the region who doesn’t want to be named, told Daily Sun that the area has reached out to some of their colleagues from the South, specifically states in the South-West and South-East, to explain their opposition.
He said that “should the National Assembly pass the bill as it is, all other regions would be impoverished because the oil-producing communities, located majorly in the South-South already five legal sources of income from the Federation Account. “Approving another 10 per cent of the profit of all oil and gas companies to the Niger Delta communities and host communities in the PIB is sounding the death knell for other states of the federation.”
The North argued that the 1999 Constitution should be amended if the 10 per cent profit clause is to take effect, “something we will block with all the powers at our disposal. Don’t forget that we have the majority in both chambers of the National Assembly.” The PIB formally titled, “A Bill for an Act to provide for the establishment of a legal, fiscal and regulatory framework for the petroleum industry in Nigeria and other related matters, 2012”, is seeking to, among other things, create a conducive business environment for petroleum operations; protect health, safety and the environment in the course of petroleum operations, enhance exploration and exploitation of petroleum resources for the benefit of Nigerians.
It will also optimise domestic gas supplies, particularly for power generation and industrial development; establish commercially-oriented and profit-driven, oil and gas entities; deregulate and liberalise the downstream petroleum sector; create efficient and effective regulatory agencies; and promote transparency and openness in the administration of the petroleum resources.
Its nt out of place to appreciate d fact dat oil come frm niger delta region of d country. My sincere input is dat it b hamonised and balanced wel.
The msg here is clear,d northern lawmakers shld be reminded that,d need to introduced true federalism into nigeria political system is overdue. This is so b/c,every federating units shld look-inward towards revenue it can generate within its respective zones. It happen in d United Arab Emirate(UAE) Which is made up of 7 federating units. The crude oil niger delta is proud of today could be found in any part of d north if God wish.
If others want 10% 2 they should develop the resources in their states…
that is my own stand ken, let the north develope their resources so that the entire nation will also benefit and then they shall have their own 10 per cent from there.
If the North wants the 10percent also they generate thier own resourses and leave that of the South South
I am fed-up of this arguement abt PIB when there are other means by which Nigeria or states can generate income. Now lets develop other sectors in different states and the equation will be balanced. Nigerians should not be selfish.
THE BIGEST PROBLEM WITH THE NORTH IS THAT, THEY WERE BRAINWASHED INTO BELIEVING THAT THEY CAN WIN EVER ARGUMENT, Every idea acceptable to the north must come from the north. That is why Nigeria has no constitution, because what we now call Nigeria’s constitution is actually the handiwork of the north. We’ve got to the stage where we have to say no. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
@ Iykelondon thank you very much. North always want others to dance to their music, but they dont want to dance to other people music. They are cheaters and they want to dominate every things. They can never ever be satify. They believed they were born to rule and be incharge of Nigeria. South would continue to have endless problem with the north. We have to seperate from them. Beside this no way. They want to continue to oppress and enslave south for ever.
D south south deserves more than 50 percent of its oil revenue,d north shud no dat.if the north want their own 10 percent derivation,de shud go and plant crude oil if its easy to hv it.d continued opposition of d bil by d north wil threaten d unity of nigeria.we(d south south) neva opposed dem when de were making billions from d kano groundnut pyramid,so I dnt no why de shud be opposing ours.de shud visit d niger delta to asses d level of environmental degradation caused by oil xploration in d region.de earlier we divide dis country,de better for us cos its clearly written dat d north doesn’t want us to benefit maximally from our oil,so we wil better be on our own so dat we can get maximum benefit from our oil
The north will never do anything without selfish considerations. North and south is an unholy and an unwholesome alliance.
The 10% derivation should serve as encouragement for other states to look inward so as to earn thier own 10%. With regard to paragraph 5, why would they wait for the oil wells in the Niger-Delta to dry up befor exploring other resources?
The north should know that our S. East will not support them in their greedy quest against S.S, afterall who’s S.S & who’s S.S lol.
The north has eaten there future yesterday
one tin abt d north is dat dey greed nd dont wan odas 2 develop nd dey r talkin of 10% y dere dont com dwn 2 south south nd c d demages cus by xploration. Nd lobbyin oda lawmakers shows dey cant beat rada accpt d fact dat dey dont hav oil in dere locality nd dis shuld serve as an encouragement 2 dem 2 develop dey own resources nd get dere own 10% nd stp being enemy of progress of d south.
One thing is clear here. Northern military leaders created states and local governments to favour the north so as to give them advantage in every decision making in Nigeria. We all know that some local governments, even in Kano state are not up to a ward in my local government, Bende in Abia state. Is it not an irony that some states in the south are vehemently opposing the creation of, at least, one more state in the south east, home of the most populous tribe in Nigeria, to be at par with other geographical zones? “A man that is holding another man to the ground is also holding himself” – an Igbo adage.
For justice and equity,one (1) more state should be created from North-East,North-Central,South-South and South-West.While two (2) more States should be created from South-East.This makes all the Geo-Political zones to have seven (7) States each.If the creation of more states is not possible,the already existing states in each geo-political zone with states more than five (5) should be collapsed to five (5) States.At least if one can not build,one can destroy.
A greedy heart always looses his greedy head.
All states should be in full controll of resources in their locallity, giving only 50% to the fedration.
That way we will all develope the resources in our states, love our states more, build up our states more and then have enough love to share with people from other states.
If given the opportunity, the north will relocate every body in an oil producing community to the desert and then enjoy the control they are already exercising.
After all, there are more resources in the north than in the whole of the south and these are the resources countries like south-africa rely on.
OUR SO-CALLED CONSTITUTION IS SUFFERING FROM FOUNDAMENTAL INDICES THAT WILL MAKE EACH PART RESPONSIVE AND ACCOUNTABLE TO HER CITIZENS. ONEDAY WE WILL CROSS THE BRIDGE.
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This is the more reason why we should have the same number of states from each geo-political zones.You can hear the North saying that they have the majority in both chambers (Senate & Reps.).How’s this possible? It’s possible because we do not have the same number of states from each geo-political zones and this is the more reason why they (the North) are against creation of more states to balance this anomaly introduced by their ( former Military Heads of State from the North).I suggest that each geo-political zone should have seven (7) states each like the North-West. If more states can not be created to balance the anomaly in the number of state distributions,then let the states from each geo-political zones be collapsed to five (5) States like in the South-East. The North will always win any debate in both chambers since they have the highest number of States and the highest number of Representatives ( in both chambers).
I heard one of the Northern Senator saying something about adopting the Electoral College which US used recently.
I suggest we have the same number of States in each geo-political zone for equity,when debate of this type comes,we can now talk of lobbying.
GOD BLESS NIGERIA !!
TO THE NORTHERN SENATORS THAT ARE AGAINST THE PIB, IT THESE OIL SHOULD BE IN THEIR REGION, WOULD THEY HAVE ALLOW OTHER STATES TO BENEFIT FROM IT? IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT EQUALITY, THEN MORE STATES SHOULD BE CREATED IN THE GEO POLITICAL ZONES THAT HAS LESSER STATES.
May the lord open our northern leader’s eyes, so dat they can do unto others what they want others to do unto them.
Fellow nigerians, it is nt the fault of the northern legislators to oppose dis bill. They re doing what they ve plan to do since the start of dis govt. Their plans was to oppose everything about dis addministration. They oppose state creation, they oppose pib bill, tenure elongation, removal of fuel susidy, immunity clause, fighting of boko haram. I ask, which bill will dis people ever support.
The government of Nigeria should not expend a dime in the so called exploration of oil in the north.
If the business men and the government of Anambra state could drill and discover oil in their state, why cant the states of the north.
The Dangotes, the Dantatas, the Indimis, and a host of other idle billioneers from the arewa country should wake up. You should employ your wealth to the development of your zone rather than waiting ato be spoon fed always.
My people u have to know one thing that ordinary Hausa /Fulani really know de value of de oil that come from de south south, but de problem is that of their so call leaders or their elites. They are all still living in de past. De early they wake up from their slumber de better for them. Nobody i say nobody can tell any region what they should do about their resources. If care is not taken we shall go on regional. That means de north will stop getting anything from oil revenue. How about that.. De northern elites had eaten their tomorrow yesterday. They can no longer sacara any region again. Those day are gone for goods. Though i feel really sorry for most of this northern masses cos there leaders misled them n they are really surfering.
“with oil producing states having more than what they need and squandering the oil riches” if only d oil producing state’s administrators nd the oil agencies nd ministries wuld knw dat d oil wl 1 day dry nd symperteticaly feel d environmental damage to d area nd the ppl, nd work 4 gud developmntal change. my worry is nt d north cos the actn has always been their trademark(subdue, destroy, islamise, nd deprive @ all cost) bt d managemnt of this 10% if later approve. if care is nt takn……… meanwhl no amt is givn 2 d area cn equate d damage 2 land even wen aftr d oil dry up
Additional state shld be created 4rm the eastern geo political zone to balance d equation. And if the north shld continue to decline 4 d creation of additional state then some of the state 4rm the north be dissolve so that each geo political zones ll hv the equal number of 5 states each otherwise the north ll use their numbers in d chambers to vote against any issue affecting the east. I MOURN 4 MY COUNTRY
I prefer to trade 100% of the current oil production from the SE to the North for independence. Igbo members of the assembly should start the negotiation with the North now. Every one should demand that of his/her rep. OIL for Freedom. I shall start the petition with enough positive response.