There were indications in Abuja on Monday that the Presidency and the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party were not comfortable with the division among governors, especially those from the ruling party.

Investigations by our correspondent showed that President Goodluck Jonathan particularly frowned on the refusal of some of the governors, especially those from the North, to follow his directive that they should stop discussion on the issue of onshore and offshore oil dichotomy.

This issue has pitched the northern governors against their counterparts in the South-South.

While governors from the South-South are saying that the issue has been settled with the last constitutional amendments, their northern counterparts are insisting that the issue must be revisited.

Even when the Special Adviser to the President, Dr. Reuben Abati, issued a statement asking that debate on the matter to stop forthwith, the Chairman of the Northern State Governors Forum, who is also the Governor of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, said he and his colleagues would not be intimidated by such directive.

Aliyu also gave an indication that governors from the northern part of the country might not support the Petroleum Industry Bill, which is said to be very important to the President and the Federal Government.

He also announced the setting up of a committee, which is headed by Ahmed Mosur, saddled with the responsibility of studying the proposed bill and its implication to the people of the region.

He said, “We set up a small committee to look at the PIB law as it affects the northern states.

“That committee will look at the bill which is before the National Assembly and the implications of that bill as it affects our welfare and our citizens.”

Presidency sources said the implication of this was that the northern governors would not support the bill and might ask lawmakers from the region to work against the speedy passage of the bill.

Apart from this, the Presidency was also believed to have calculated that the division among the governors over the state police could reverberate at the National Assembly.

A PDP top member said, “The Presidency knows that the division, which we already have among the governors is capable of affecting the PIB, which is before the National Assembly now.

“As it is now, there is no cohesion among the governors. This is not good for us as a party. We fear that the two regions may work against each other at the National Assembly during the Constitutional Assembly.

“We are seeing a situation whereby lawmakers from the north will work against the PIB and their southern counterparts will also work against the issue of onshore and offshore matter.

“This may lead to ethnic politics, which is capable of further affecting the unity of the country.”

http://www.punchng.com/news/govs-differences-on-oil-dichotomy-worry-presidency-pdp/

nawaoooo this oil dey make some people lose sleep 4 night

there is a text message revealing what nigeria is getting from Niger delta dat is circulating every where now and d people are angry

this sms causing the youths to be angry. war is iminent. d north should stop further incitement or prepare to go back to grandnut pyramid

DELTA BOY: this sms causing the youths to be angry. war is iminent. d north should stop further incitement or prepare to go back to grandnut pyramid

Which war? You guys should not bite what you can't chew. Niger delta oil is north's reward for winning the war for britain,of course with the help of saro wiwa and adaka boro. You guys should really sit down and think before you start shouting war,cos you are alone on this.