PIB;PANDEF Lambasts Buhari for Signing Bill into Law

The Pan Niger Delta Forum, has criticized the President for signing the PIB without amending what they called “several contentious provisions”, claiming that the action was a ploy to divert oil money from Southern Nigeria to the North.

According to Section 9 of the PIB, the President approved at least 30% of the profit generated by the proposed Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to go to the exploration of oil in “frontier basins” by assenting to the bill, which legislation was stalled for about 20 years before it was recently passed by the 9th National Assembly.

See also President Buhari Signs PIB into Law.

In a statement released by PANDEF and signed by their National Publicity Secretary

The statement reads “It’s quite unfortunate that President Muhammadu Buhari went ahead to assent to the Petroleum Industry Bill, despite the overwhelming outcry and condemnation that greeted its passage by the National Assembly, especially with regards to the paltry 3% provision for the Host Communities Development Trust Fund and the brazen appropriation of an outrageous 30% of NNPC Ltd profit for a dubious, nebulous Frontier Oil Exploration Fund.”

“This PIB falls way short of the expectations of the Oil and Gas Producing Communities, that bear the brunt of unconscionable industry operations.”

“This assent, by President Buhari, simply speaks to the repugnant attitude of disregard, propelled by arrogance, disdain and contempt with which issues concerning the Niger Delta Region are treated, particularly, by the present Administration.”

“What this act signifies is an unequivocal message to the Niger Delta people that how they feel and what they say, do not count, at all, in the Schemes of the Nigerian Project.”

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“That’s insensitive, abominable and afar every boundary of proper Democratic practice, and, therefore, unacceptable to the good people of the Niger Delta, the critical economic nexus of the entire Nigerian territory.”

“The Niger Delta people will speak, shortly, after full consultations, on this callous act, on the best legal and political response.”