•Accuses 4 S’south states of earning more than region
From ADETUTU FOLASADE-KOYI, Abuja
The battle-line was drawn between Northern Senators and the Senate leadership yesterday over consideration of the new Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). The North is angry that the new PIB will further impoverish the 19 northern states because the revenue accruable from the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) to four states in the South-South is presently more than what accrues to the entire region. Besides, the North is also unsettled that the Presidency may have strangulated the region of energy supply.
The war shifted to the Senate chambers as lawmakers dared their leadership when they outrightly rejected the commencement of debate on the new PIB when it was introduced by Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN). Daily Sun authoritatively gathered that the North has marshalled its opposition to the new law with the commissioning of its independent study on the PIB by consultants, who have written a comprehensive report condemning the proposed new legislation.
The report has urged the Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF) to scrutinize the PIB “very closely” and ensure that it does not scale through in the National Assembly. The North’s opposition is hinged on five factors which are skewed highly in favour of the South-South. They are: institutional arrangement; fiscal provisions, divestment of equity, gas supply to the North and the host community fund. In the commissioned study, a copy of which was obtained by Daily Sun, the region is vexed that, “on top of the 13 per cent statutory derivation from the Federation Account,” with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) collecting another 3 per cent of oil operations and the “massive amount of federal funds being spent on the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme, the new PIB is adding 10 percent of the profit of all oil and gas companies to the Niger Delta states and communities.”
In the document under review, the region fingered the revenue accruable to four states, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers, as being more than the 19 states put together.One wonders what kind of federation we would end up with, if this situation is escalated by the new PIB.” Also, the North is angry that if the new PIB becomes operational, “it would not only affect assets of the whole federation, but would also seriously impact on the inflow of revenue into the Federation Account. In addition, northerners are worried that the proposed new legislation “could be drafted and forwarded to the National Assembly without the input of, or due consultations with the federating states.”
The North only stopped short of accusing the Jonathan administration of fiddling with the original draft of the PIB submitted in 2010 to the National Assembly by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua. On accruable royalty, the North expressed great concern that “leaving the question of the determination of royalties to the regulatory discretion of the Minister of Petroleum Resources is not only dangerous for the nation, but also an open invitation for phenomenal corruption in the future.” In the document, the North expressed dismay that divestment of equity and setting up a national oil company and national gas company is designed to exclude the region because “the communities and businesses in northern states are not very active players on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).
Offloading equity of these national assets on the stock market, the North said could “lock the people of the region out of ownership of these critical resources.” Back in the Senate yesterday, lawmakers rejected a motion for the commencement of general debate on the draft law which would have kicked off the crucial second reading. The legislators especially those from the North, refused to allow the Senate Leader to go ahead with take on the PIB, which would officially kickstart the debate. On four occasions, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu who presided over the session, strove to convince his colleagues to allow Senator Ndoma-Egba read just the lead debate and four times, Senators rejected the request. Shouts of No! No! No! rent the chamber. Ekweremadu hit the gavel continuously to restore order and also persuade his angry colleagues, but they did not budge. Ndoma-Egba reminded them of the importance of the bill and the fact that it had been listed for consideration on the day’s Order Paper.
He said that shelving debate on the bill will send a wrong signal to Nigerians who may see the Senate as not being committed to passing the bill, considered as vital for the much-needed reforms in the oil and gas sector. The Senate Leader had prayed his colleagues to allow him take the lead debate after which the Upper Chamber will adjourn and take full debate the next legislative day (which is today). His entreaties, however, did not succeed, as the lawmakers mounted pressure on him to stand down his motion after which further consideration of the bill was deferred till another legislative day instead of the next legislative day.
To further drive in Northern opposition to the PIB debate yesterday, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Ahmad Lawan, interjected with a motion predicated on Order 56 (12) (d) of the Senate Standing Order. He said that the bill requires more than a day’s debate and would require “at least three to five days and in the mood of the nation, we should stand down this bill till another legislative day.” At this point, the Senate Leader got up and said: “ I’m minded and guided by the mood of the Senate. The circumstances under which this bill was introduced should not be lost on us.
We shouldn’t forget so soon…Let’s stand down this bill till another legislative day.” Deputy Minority Leader Sani Yerima seconded the motion which was deferred to another legislative day.
This is just the starting point…… The northerner have not seen anything yet…………………..
The North has not seen anything yet! What do es that mean? What exactly is in play here guys? It is simple. The northern leaders has just concluded that the amount money the four s-south igovernors are scheduled to be embezzled overwhelms theirs hence, they cry foul. We continue to allow these guys to play us like yoyois. If the-so-called leaders where sincere and cared about the people of the North in particular and the people of Nigeria in general then the argument would have been the unfair treatment of the other 32 states as opposed to the code word “the North.”
The Governors and other leaders in Northern region should also go back to agriculture in full scale to boost the economy of Northern states for the betterment of their large population who are majorly poor.
This over dependence on oil revenue alone can never guarantee the expected development of all sectors in Northern Nigeria.
The Niger Delta region should be allowed to benefit more from the endowment of oil and gas efforts to tap other natural resources abound in their land too.
You spoke well dele odugbemi
The Niger Delta region should be allowed to benefit more from the endowment of oi and gas in their region while other regions should intensify efforts to tap natural resources abound in their land too.
Good and just reasoning that if all thought that way, Nigeria would not be poor today!
Yes, if all thought that way, northern governors would not have abandoned agriculture and other areas that would have earning them very good income and only wait for crude oil money. They would have realised that crude oil money will take them nowhere and rather be productive to sustain their economies?!
Right now? Tell me which northern has bothered to ensure that agriculture for sale locally and export works in their states? None!!!
In as much as i feel for d north, they can still make it with d little allocated to them. I think by nature n for truth, d niger deltans deserv that. Notwithstanding, we shouldnt get too jealous because the states r stil Nigerian states.
Obviously, d Niger Deltans shd b allowed 2 enjoy what d Lord has blessed them with. I strongly believe dat every zone is blessed with one natural resource or d other. Then why woun’t every zone including d North work hard 2 c dat d resources dat re located in der areas re escavated, refined and made 2 attract dividends 4rm government? D philosophy of ‘ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL’ should nt b considered in ds context cos ‘SOME ARE MORE EQUAL THAN D OTHERS.’ There4, d senate shd pass d bill.
Is a pity that is only in we hear about money sharing fomula without talking about how to develop this country called nigeria
North shd go for republic of arewa wt dia carrot,peppe,sugar cane nd gworo nd south go for republic of southerner wt our smal tin.pls dis illegal marriage shd b separated
Is there no more tomotos, peppe albasa and yam in the north? why cant these greedy men go back to land.
any way , i blame the fed government.
Northerns are parasyth they contribute nothing to Nig than to suck the Southerns to hell with North
Niger Delta or the North, which ever way the money goes, it will not reach to the poor. They have shifted attention from how to provide social amenities to Nigerians to how to share money. Armed robbers in the name of leaders.
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North….north….north….the truth is that lobbyist on behalf of the oil companies and the other multinationals are ready to go to any length to shoot or delay the Bill because of its many implications….they are only stoking these fears in the north to further their interests…but it is short sighted on their path…the deregulation of the sector will favor the MNC in terms of value chain investments…and the north will be better placed if the look more at the additional revenues in the downstream investment which is not restricted only to oil producing states….how much oil does Japan or China have yet the derive more value from it than many primary producers like Nigeria which now earns 4trillin and spend one trillion on import subsidy
Nobody is talking of how to develop agric sector to make it more mechanize why?
The north ought not to be angry because they are lazy to harness abundant solid mineral resources that was also endowed to them by Almighty God. These minerals in some countries of the world like Asia made use it and toady they were ranked of one most richest nations on earth. Had it being that oil deposit was found only in the north, believe it or not the northerners should have demanded 60% while allocating 40% to the fed gov of Nig, judging from their ambitiousness to hold on to power syndrome. Also to be candid to all Nigerians, the south south state honestly are not developing their region if anyone could take account of revenue accrued to them for the past 13 years. If south south leaders continue in this way not to commensurate the largesse extended to them by the fed gov of Nig, i have no other option than to support the north to ration the revenue equally among the 36 states in Nigeria. Look at the case of my own state IMO, it,s only now that we are made to know that the state itself has money reason because a man that has the mandate of people,s heart are on the throne. Our neighbouring state Abia on her own case under Theo Orji is under iredeemable, he is a wicked man to the core. I even appeal to the fed gov to please hold back Abia,s own share for now until the state finds a God fearing citizen in 2015. Theo Orji and his berand son had messed up Abia state treasury to the optimum.
Isn’t it ovious now that the Norths are parasite who live on people and kill them in return. If the people that discovered the oil are not educated or read books which animal Notherners regarded as ‘haram’. Whould they be fighting for shares. Idiotics.
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The North are too selfish, they just want to hv everything to themselves without considering the environment where the natural resources is gotten. If they are in the shoes of the Niger Deltans would they accept equality sharing of resources from their own land? Had it bn oil is found in the north, Nigeria would hv bn divided long ago or moreso, everbody in Nigeria would hv bn forced to become muslims. The North should be grateful to the South and utilize the little allocation given to them well. However if they felt the sharing must be equel, they should also remember to support creation of equal states in all the regions as well as support true federalism Nigeria, period.
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north should go to hell! I hate those punks
North has resourse that can sustain this country nd xport while the south should not see her region as wealthy enough to sustain her althrough cuz there is need to industirialze the region. I channel all nigerian problems to corruption, if only that is bben cured 95% challenges nigerian will be gone. …..
The northern govs and senators should concentrate to magnify production of tin-ore, gold, diamond, silver and other numerous minerals that abound in their region to attract improved revenue derivation than mining these minerals illegally. From this activity, they will get their royalty and 13% derivation fund and pay less emphasis on minerals from another region. Northerners should not dwell on riches of other people to survive. they should make hay while the sun shines. Let me ask the Northern senators, where are those ground-nut pyramids of the north we read about before the nigeria’s civil war?
Go back to your drawing board.
Look at these lame 19 Northern states!! Whats happened to your agricultural products? Almost all foods consumed in Nigeria come from the North yet the North doesn’t want to take advantage of their arable and fertile soil to improve on their income. Onions and tomatoes alone are enough to sustain the whole North if they concentrate on agriculture but they simply abandoned this spinning venture in pursuit of oil revenue from the south which is too bad. Its time the north wake up from their slumber and face reality.
hahahahahahaha…………..@ my northern parasites!! Almajiri’s, dan guruguru’s, beggar’s! We don’t deserve to be with them!
it is time to break this force marriage, from northern nigeria,let those religion fundanmentalist and lazy BH people should go to hell with their 72 virgins in hellfire.
This country “NIGERIA” belongs to all Nigerians irrespective of the part you come from. when oil was not discovered, the notherners tried to make sure that the nation’s economy is booming. now that oil is the back bone of the country, the niger delta people think, that is their making, they failed to remember that God enriches whom and places HE wishes, not by any body’s power or wisdom. The south south and south east should note that without the north, hunger would have finished them. Yams, beans, cows, fish etc to mention but few among the food items are being imported from not north to south south and south east, if not hungry for finish you people from the oil areas, UNGRATEFUL ELEMENTS.
@Alhaji Dan-azumi Gana
The yam, onions, tomatoes are not free. The south pays for it.
Nort nd equality which way, if equality must prevail let it afect everytin rangin frm equal states nd local govmnt not givin 8 local govmnt tu bayelsa while kano has 44 local govmnt despite not producin any tin
NOT, NORT, NORTH= nothingfuly nothinness.
Na god they punish una.d last alhaji dan …you are out of touch with realities.Honourable alhaji,wont it be good on your part to advice your NOTING governors that they are all full and fools.Get angry,shout,kick,pick up ur knife and behold am behind you,stab,kill,pour fuel and throw bomb.expect ur virgins and smash ur head against the walls of ur ignorance.
Tell ur gov. to look inwardly develop ur resources if they like,by january,i am mobilising my boys to pack all ur almajiris,RSB-Road Side Beggers into trailers waiting at ojota,three days land journey and we shal offload them at ur NOTING gov houses across the 19 NOTING STATES.I av distributed all strategic logistics.Before it was Ghana must go,now it is going to be aboki must go! satan incarnates! You hate BOOKS but ur hypocricy will not make you stop begging those who are’ booked’ for alms.ur lawmakers,cant you see how they sleep during plenary sessions,one musa(house of reps) will sleep from the begining of all debates,only to wake up from slumber when he hears ‘south-south’,niger delta,money sharing…My concern is Jonathan,why he is still wasting time from allowing sovereignconfreence dialogue.
Notherners are ingrates, they are ripping were they did not saw yet they are not gratful. When coco & groundnut was d major source of revenue, what was d sharing formular? God is not a partial God. D north will pay thro their nose soon. Wachout for 2015 another suprise awaits u all.
I grew up in the north, my last trip to the north i discovered that all the mama mai-akara (kwoseyi) are no longer selling akara but are now selling fuel in jerry-cans, some mesuya (meat) that i know before no longer. sell suya(meat) but petrol. This oil is doing evil than good, let us go back to what we are known for before oil: Agriculture( numa). Allah e tamukemu.
The Northern leaders ar so wise, they hav so much natural resourses but dey don’t want tap them, they’re waiting till d country divides
ABUJA TODAY IS WONDERLAND BECAUSE OF THE PETRODOLLAR ATTENTION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVT.KANO STATE HAS 57 LOCAL GOVTS WHILE LAGOS WHICH IS MORE POPỤLATED HAS ONLY 20.I HAVE NEVER HEARD THAT AN OKORO,A FEMI OR AN OKON HAS EVER BEEN APPOINTED MINISTER FOR ABUJA,YET ABUJA IS SAID TO BELONG TO ALL OF US.WHO IS FOOLING WHO?
The northerners have not seen anything, they will hear something, is a matter of little time,when Buhari was the head petroleum trust fund PTF DURING ABACHA he used the money to built good road in the north at detrement of other region nobody said anything and now is a pay back time they are shouting.God will punish them. They said western education is a sin yet it was america and the west that
help us to develop this natural resource, the basic truth is that we should divid and let everybody answer their fathers name, am a yoruba man but i want the next presidency to go to igbo land and the foolish north will short there stupid mouth upp.
posterity will never forgive Jonathan if he fail to divide this force marrige with fucking stupid Northerners. Babangida and Abacha’s loots alone can develop the entire Nigeria.
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Before oil was discovered, funds realized from exportation of other minerals was divided evenly irrespect of geographical location, why this is happening now? Its corruption and selfishness. Please let us embrace transparency and welcome justice, unity and progress.
The northerner should not be always stupid and foolish because they ve never shared any allocation equally coal was discovered in Enugu in 1909 nd since then it was also part of nigeria revenue source we used it in d south and also @ the north likewise cocoa why should groundnut be mentioned as if it was alone then and the north produces it for all
you can fool our fathers but you can’t fool us the children…so north you all can go to hell and burn to ashes!!!
The question should be…. what are the northerners contributing to the federal purse?. The yams and tomatoes Alhaji Dan… stupid is talking about are being paid for. We should also remember that the north does not suffer the hardship of the oil producing states in terms of environmental degradation being experienced by people in oil producing states?