Senate fails to form quorum, postpones passage of PIB bill

NewsMar 9, 2011

Protesters of PIB are charlatans-Ekweremadu

BY INALEGWU SHAIBU

ABUJA-THE Senate has shelved the passage of Petroleum Industry Bill to Tuesday, March 15, after failing to form a quorum yesterday. Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the debate in the absence of Senate President, David Mark, said the Senate would not be blackmailed into passing the bill by protesting charlatans.
Senator Ekweremadu, remarking after the submission of the report of the Senate Joint Committee on PIB by Senator Lee Maeba, however, gave the assurance that the bill would be passed before the end of the sixth Senate.
He said: “We are responding to our sense of responsibility and not to any text messages. I hear that some charlatans were here yesterday to protest the delay in passage of the bill. I know the amount of work we have put in the PIB in the life of this Senate. We are determined to pass it.”
Even though the Senate was able to pass three other bills without forming quorum, the senators refused to consider the PIB on the excuse of poor attendance and lack of time to consider the report.
Senator Anyim Ude, PDP, Ebonyi urged the senate to expedite action on the PIB before the expiration of the sixth senate in order to ward off harassment from Nigerians.
He said: “I agree that the bill should be passed before the end of live of the senate because of the sheer blackmail we are receiving. We should fix a day to pass it, I feel some people are doing something funny with the bill.”
Senator Abubakar Sodangi, PDP, Nasarawa, argued that a full day be devoted to the bill to get all the senators to participate in passing the bill.
While Senator Satty Gogwim, PDP, Plateau, in his contribution, argued that the bill was shelved due to the absence of the signature of Chairman of Senate Committee on Gas on the report.
He said: “In the signature column, the signature of that of gas is not here. As far as this bill is concern, the committee is not complete.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/03/senate-fails-to-form-quorum-postpones-passage-of-pib-bill/

Surprise, surprise !!!! They are only stalling so that they can kill the bill after the elections when everyone is assumed to be 'safe' for another 4 years. The PIB is all about Nigeria controlling its own Petroleum Industry for the greater benefit of Nigerians. Naturally , many will be opposed to that idea including our compromised senators.

http://www.independentngonline.com/DailyIndependent/Article.aspx?id=30115

PIB suffers setback in Senate

By Adetutu Folasade-Koyi and Sola Shittu, Abuja



Hope of passing the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) dimmed in the Senate on Tuesday when Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, insisted that the Upper Chamber will not be blackmailed into approving the document by those he described as charlatans.

This is as the House of Representatives also on Tuesday ignored the Presidency’s request for virement of the 2010 budget to cater for some parastatals in the Aviation sector, just as it blamed the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for the delay in the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill.

Another snag in the passage of the Bill at the Senate was the absence of the signature of the Chairman of the Gas Committee, Osita Izunaso.

Ekweremadu, who presided over the session, insisted that Izunaso’s signature must be appended to the report presented to the Senate for consideration.

Another delaying tactic was the excuse that Senators needed time to go through the document.

Said Ekweremadu: “We are responding to our sense of responsibility and not to any text messages. I hear that some charlatans were here yesterday (Monday) to protest the Bill.

“I know the amount of work we have put in the Bill in the life of this Senate. If Gas Committee Chairman, Osita Izunaso, can be included by Tuesday, March 15, we can look at the Bill.”

Some Senators, who supported the postponement of the consideration of the Bill, observed that the chamber has no quorum to commence work on the document, and also needed time to go through the Bill.

They also, insisted that Izunaso’s signature must be included.

Presenting the report earlier, Chairman, Joint Senate Committee on Petroleum Industry Bill, Lee Maeba, stated that the principal objective of the Bill “ is to enhance the exploration for petroleum in Nigeria and to promote petroleum production for the benefit of all Nigerians.”

He added that the Bill “provides that the management and allocation of petroleum resources and their derivatives in Nigeria, shall be conducted strictly in accordance with the principles of good governance, transparency and sustainable development of Nigeria”.

Maeba stressed that when PIB is passed into law, it would provide a strong and virile regulatory framework for overall efficiency of the petroleum industry.

He also disclosed that the passage would help government to overcome cash call problems and promote international best practices through competitive biddings, transparency and good governance principles.

But reacting to Ekweremadu’s statement, David Ugolor of the African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), who led the protest at the National Assembly on Monday, said the Deputy Senate President's statement was very disgraceful.

“For the Deputy Senate President to call civil society groups that came here yesterday (Monday) to protest without any violence charlatans, is very disgraceful. The comment is not acceptable because the groups were here to stage peaceful protest.

Ugolor equally noted that there are people who are benefiting from the way Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is being run today. “They make sure that things don’t work in the oil sector.”

In another development, President Goodluck Jonathan had written to the House demanding for virement of the 2010 budget to cater for some parastatals in the Aviation sector.

But after the letter was read by the Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, at the plenary, Chairman of Appropriation Committee, Ademola Adeseun, who was asked to advise on the matter said the request came too late.

According to him, since it is already two weeks to the end of the 2010 fiscal year, the request should have been rolled over to 2011 budget.

He said the request was capable of compounding the work of the committee on the 2011 budget, which had just received a request from the Budget Office for an additional N200 billion, while the 31 federal parastatals were yet to comply with provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

Chairman of the House Committee on Gas, Igho Agoma, warned that any attempt to pass the 2011 budget the way it is would amount to an academic exercise that would not impact on the lives of the people.

Alli Gumel, in his contribution, claimed that the executive arm was setting up the Nigerian public against the National Assembly with the way it has been handling matters.

Halims Agoda urged the House not to be in haste to pass any Bill, adding that all cases should be treated on merit.

Bankole, in his ruling, directed the House Committee on Appropriation to continue with its work on the 2011 budget in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

A great victory for foreign oil companies. Senate, I hail thee.

I have glanced over the Bill myself, its favour Nigerians immensely
but as the 1st responder to the post said, they are stalling
as they may appear be courted by "FOLs" (Foriegn Oil Lobbyists) that
would not like the Bill to be passed.

martinosi:

I have glanced over the Bill myself,[b] its favour Nigerians immensely[/b]but as the 1st responder to the post said, they are stalling
as they may appear be courted by "FOLs" (Foriegn Oil Lobbyists) that
would not like the Bill to be passed.

Instead of the Senate to be allies of Nigerians they rain insults on them. Why are important bills , that coincidentally put an end to the interest of the elite minority, virtually impossible to pass quickly so that Nigeria's development can be accelerated instead of stunted? Is the 'delay' not deliberate so that some continue to benefit from how things are to the detriment of Nigeria?  Ordinary Sovereign wealth bill , with many successful templates already existing worldwide, is taking many months with no breakthrough in sight yet . When they needed to pass the anti-terrorism bill they did it quickly as soon as bombings accross Nigeria became an embarrassment and treat to their own safety. Shameful. All this just shows we are led by a group of men and women who must be forced to do what is right . Barring all the bombings, we would have no anti-terrorism bill in place now because we all saw that even after the Abdul Mutallab issue , when the USA pressured us about passage of the bill , the Senate dragged its feet . Now the bombs are at their doors they quickly act.

But reacting to Ekweremadu’s statement, David Ugolor of the African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), who led the protest at the National Assembly on Monday, said the Deputy Senate President's statement was very disgraceful.

“For the Deputy Senate President to call civil society groups that came here yesterday (Monday) to protest without any violence charlatans, is very disgraceful. The comment is not acceptable because the groups were here to stage peaceful protest.

Ugolor equally noted that there are people who are benefiting from the way Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is being run today. “They make sure that things don’t work in the oil sector.”

Charlatans? that's some pretty strong language to be used the senator. Shame

wey this bill sef?


in a PDP dominant assembly you'd think these sort of bills get considerable amount of debate till its passed

dis dodo guy wey dey rock just dey chop bread and abakaliki rice

Dis Guy: wey this bill sef?


in a PDP dominant assembly you'd think these sort of bills get considerable amount of debate till its passed

dis dodo guy wey dey rock just dey chop bread and abakaliki rice

Please there is no connection between PDP and the factors stalling the passage of the bill so leave them out of this sir.

Bontee:

Please there is no connection between PDP and the factors stalling the passage of the bill so leave them out of this sir.

Then tell us the "factors" stalling the PIB you feel has nothing to do with a Party, in real and definite terms, that totally controls the executive and legislative arm of Governance.

It is redundant, in most nations on Earth, for citizens to talk as if legislation that can move a Country forward drastically is somehow difficult to birth by a ruling Party with majority control everywhere. Absolutely pathetic !!!

Folks from serious nations , now including some of our African neighbours, will simply laugh in your face because they are no longer brainwashed citizens used to making excuses for incompetent crooks who cause all the problems yet are the same one pretending to be seeking solutions. The non-passage of the PIB is entirely the fault of the PDP same as how bloated Governance, feeding "awon boys" and making Nigeria a joke in the commity of Nations, is the fault of the PDP with direct proof supplied through Jonathan's pretense that the constitution prevents him from delivering "leaner Government" when we all know that is class A b.ullShi.te.

Gbawe:

Then tell us the "factors" stalling the PIB you feel has nothing to do with a Party, in real and definite terms, that totally controls the executive and legislative arm of Governance.

Why don't you start first by telling us how PDP is stalling the passage of the PIB, please break it down with evidence and show us the national assembly members ( including their party affiliations ) that are voting against this bill.

have they formed a quorum and passed the bill now?

Am sure if it is about sharing money, or discussing their allowance there will be 100% attendance.

3 times now the ACN senators have led other opposition senators to stage a walkout in protest of the lack of attention being given the PIB. Sometime back, the ACN house leader reminded the house of the Bill but his Agbada was seized by the speaker and he was pummeled by the PDP senators, as a matter of fact, the ACN members have tried to initiate their own bill but the draft always gets missing on the day of presentation - PDP rats! If u think I'm lying ask Broda Gbawe.

Bontee:

Why don't you start first by telling us how PDP is stalling the passage of the PIB, please break it down with evidence and show us the national assembly members ( including their party affiliations ) that are voting against this bill.

Dude, I don't have time for this back-and-forth game. You made a statement. You are asked to defend the statement. Instead you are flip-flopping.

This is the problem with Nigeria. Too many folks bent on distractive mischief to fool the majority who are scantily educated in regards to politics and the real power a ruling Party, with majority representation everywhere, possesses to effect changes with.

It really is very simple. The PDP has the majority and clout in the executive and legislative arm to see the PIB passed today if that is what the ruling Party wants. We all saw GEJ bullying the legislative arm to ram subsidy removal down the throat of the legislative arm with a so-called executive fiat. Funny those sort of provisions are never available when policies concerning the accelerated progress of Nigeria is on the menu. Especially given that those progressive policies always coincide with truncating the parochial interest of the AGIPs and looting elite class ruining the nation.

I can't remain here indulging you and entertaining the spurious notion that the PDP, enjoying a very healthy majority in the legislative houses, and even devastatingly more so in the last republic when the Party promised to deliver the bill, is now somehow 'hamstrung' by events beyond its control.

Gbawe:

Dude, I don't have time for this back-and-forth game. You made a statement. You are asked to defend the statement. Instead you are flip-flopping.

This is the problem with Nigeria. Too many folks bent on distractive mischief to fool the majority who are scantily educated in regards to politics and the real power a ruling Party, with majority representation everywhere, possesses to effect changes with.

It really is very simple. The PDP has the majority and clout in the executive and legislative arm to see the PIB passed today if that is what the ruling Party wants. We all saw GEJ bullying the legislative arm to ram subsidy removal down the throat of the legislative arm with a so-called executive fiat. Funny those sort of provisions are never available when policies concerning the accelerated progress of Nigeria is on the menu.

I can't remain here indulging you and entertaining the spurious notion that the PDP, enjoying a very healthy majority in the legislative houses, and even devastatingly more so in the last republic when the Party promised to deliver the bill, is now somehow 'hamstrung' by events beyond its control.

People came here to make statements that PDP is stalling the passage of the bill when there is nothing like that from the articles above. You want me to defend my statement when you cannot break it down for us how you came to believe that PDP is stalling the passage just because they have majority representation. Even a PDP senator from Ebonyi state is urging the senate to pass the bill quickly and you want us to believe otherwise.

You keep on talking about having majority vote and now i want to give you a clue to my defense, do these PDP senators vote in blocks or like zombies?. Party affiliations was basically the platform they used to get into the senate and after that the bond does not always affect their decisions in the national assembly. I have an article to prove my own opinion and i will post it here later but simply answer the question.

Do PDP senators vote in blocks, move collectively in the same direction or like zombies that is directed from one source. How can a proposed bill from a party dominating the executive branch be stalled by the same party dominating the legislative branch if there are no superior interest beyond party affiliations.

P:S Its not compulsory you indulge me, you can post whatever you like while i also post mine as well.

Bontee:

People came here to make statements that PDP is stalling the passage of the bill when there is nothing like that from the articles above. You want me to defend my statement when you cannot break it down for us how you came to believe that PDP is stalling the passage just because they have majority representation. Even a PDP senator from Ebonyi state is urging the senate to pass the bill quickly and you want us to believe otherwise.

You keep on talking about having majority vote and now i want to give you a clue to my defense, do these PDP senators vote in blocks or like zombies?. Party affiliations was basically the platform they used to get into the senate and after that the bond does not always affect their decisions in the national assembly. I have an article to prove my own opinion and i will post it here later but simply answer the question.

Do PDP senators vote in blocks, move collectively in the same direction or like zombies that is directed from one source. How can a proposed bill from a party dominating the executive branch be stalled by the same party dominating the legislative branch if there are no superior interest beyond party affiliations.

P:S Its not compulsory you indulge me, you can post whatever you like while i also post mine as well.

Mate, you are wasting your time trying to spin what stakeholders and experts , very involved with the PIB, accept as the truth 100%. If, for example, you know the efforts of David ugolor towards the passage of the PIB, then you will take his utterances below seriously and accept it as somewhat authoritative instead of this your reduantant attempt at spin.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/02/%E2%80%98fg-lacks-political-will-to-pass-pib-into-law%E2%80%99/

‘FG lacks political will to pass PIB into law’
On February 6, 2011 · In Energy Updates
6:22 pm
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The delay in passing the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, into law is generating increasing anxiety among stakeholders. The Executive Director of Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, Mr. David Ugolor, in an interview with journalists as captured by Clara Nwachukwu, attributed the development to the confusion caused by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, in muting several versions of the bill.
Excerpts:

The Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB appears to be facing more challenges. What is your reaction to the delay in the passage of the bill?

The challenges facing the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, being passed into law is as a result of the lack of political will by the leadership in the country. Every step of the legislative process has been politicised to the extent that report from some media claim that some of the International Oil Companies, IOCs, tried to compromise some members of the National Assembly saddled with the responsibility to manage the PIB legislative process .To also support this claim, recently some of the diplomatic cables released by the Wikileaks report on Nigeria also made reference to how Shell has infiltrated key government institutions in Nigeria.

This is not the first time we are experiencing such an action by the IOCs in Nigeria. You will recall that when we were also lobbying the National Assembly to pass the Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, NEITI Act into law, we saw how the oil companies also made an effort to water down some of the key provisions in the law that will assist the country to achieve broad reform in the oil and gas sector, particularly in the areas of revenue transparency. If you look back to the concrete outcome of the NEITI Audit report of 1999 to 2004 and the 2005, you will be shocked to see how we have managed the oil and gas sector in Nigeria.

We have lost billions of dollars as a result of shady deals carried out by the multinationals in collaboration with major government agencies. A situation where oil companies will be assessing themselves because the government agencies like the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, lacked the capacity has put the country at a disadvantaged position. All attempts to remedy these problems, in most cases, are being challenged.

This lack of cooperation from the IOCs and some local oil companies has not really helped NEITI Secretariat to enforce the NEITI Act effectively in Nigeria. There are still mountains of issues yet to be resolved from those past audits carried out by NEITI.

It is this same challenge that is also affecting the PIB process in Nigeria. The IOCs with their local collaborators who currently benefit from the status quo do not want any reform in the oil and gas sector that will take away their pecuniary benefits from the sector. To worsen the situation, there has been poor leadership in the country and this has affected the oil industry, even to the extent that Nigeria, which was the leading country and flagship of the global Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, EITI, is being affected.

The multinationals are kicking against some of the provisions of the PIB. What are your reactions to some of the issues they raised against the bill?
Well I don’t agree with the stand, which the IOCs have taken so far on the PIB legislative process because inasmuch as they continue to delay the passage of the law to strengthen the legal framework for their operation in Nigeria, it will also affect their activities as well. I think it is in the interest of the IOCs to cooperate with the National Assembly through a transparent negotiation to resolve the areas of contention and move swiftly to support the passage of the PIB Act. Nigeria is not the first or second country where the government has chosen to review the fiscal regime that governs its oil industry. I think Venezuela and Bolivia successfully did that without the heavens falling. The big problem we are presently facing in Nigeria is lack of political leadership and that is what the IOCs are taking advantage of to delay the process.

[size=14pt]For instance, if the President of Nigeria takes the PIB as a priority and gives it the Presidential push and support, no IOC will undermine the process.[/size] But what we have seen so far is the NNPC making a mess of the process to the extent that we now have several versions of the same PIB at the National Assembly. During the public hearing organised by the Assembly, we were all embarrassed to see different versions of the PIB and that alone sends a message of confusion.

I recall when my organisation, ANEEJ, through the support of the Canadian Embassy, organised the first independent roundtable on the PIB, which drew stakeholders from the IOCs, government, academia, diplomats and civil society organisations to provide a platform for independent review, we all agreed that it is in the interest of all stakeholders to build a consensus to move the PIB forward. But I am surprised that after more than two years of that successful roundtable, we are yet to move forward with the passage of the PIB due to IOCs’ concerns in some of the provisions in the bill.

While I completely share some of the concerns raised by the IOCs, I don’t think it is a better business for them to kill the process. The fact is that we all desire that the oil and gas sector in Nigeria be given an urgent and drastic reform if Nigerians must benefit from their God-given resources.

I also want to appeal to the IOCs to quickly look for a modest way to mend fences with the National Assembly and the Federal government, to quickly pass the PIB so that the right signal can go out to investors and the international community. I also think that it can go a long way to sustain the relative peace in the Niger Delta region. It is for the IOCs and the government to identify the key areas of disagreements and look for a transparent mechanism that will provide access to all, including the communities who suffer most, to participate in building a consensus that will lead to the final legal framework.

Some industry operators also question some provisions in the Production Sharing Contract, PSC. What is your reaction to this?
What do you expect from the oil and gas players? They still want the laws made three decades ago to continue to guide the fiscal policies, which put the country at a disadvantaged position. Like I earlier mentioned, other countries have reformed their oil and gas sector to benefit from the increase in oil price. Today, oil prices have increased dramatically. Why should Nigeria not benefit from it? I think is fair for the IOCs to cooperate with the Nigeria government to agree on a fiscal regime that will give Nigeria some benefits particularly as the oil price increases in the international market. We cannot allow the current fiscal regime to continue, while the IOCs are making huge profits, the country is not making as much to respond to the new challenges arising from oil exploration.

Gbawe:

Mate, you are wasting your time trying to spin what stakeholders and experts , very involved with the PIB, accept as the truth 100%. If, for example, you know the efforts of David ugolor towards the passage of the PIB, then you will take his utterances below seriously and accept it as somewhat authoritative instead of this your reduantant attempt at spin.

There is nothing to go against him in what he wrote in that article and again how does this new article support your notion that the passage of the bill is stalled by the majorly PDP dominated executive and legislative branch of government?. It seems you are not getting my point, i am not saying that some Nigerian leaders ( especially in the senate ) are not stalling the process but the blame is not on PDP as a party.

Concerning the part of the article in red, yes the president might have placed all necessary politcal will behind the bill but there is a brickwall there in the national assembly. That is where it is make or break situation in the whole process and not these stakeholders who do not have a say in the actual voting. The problem is there at the national assembly, the senators have various reasons why they are against the bill and this has nothing to do with any party.

I repeat they do not vote in blocks, like pack of zombies or whatever because the party is a platform on which they used to gain entrance into the assembly. After that there are regional, zonal, tribal, ethinic, religious and other selfish interest that guide their disposition towards different bills and policies emination from the assembly floor. In this case this is beyong party affiliation and about regional interest and other industry interest. Some people have been benefiting from the present statusquo and they are not going to like the changes. It has nothing to do with parties as each and every senator is not taking directive from the parties but from their regional interests etc in this particular case.

You can also read the article below, especially the highlighted passages and tell me if PDP is the problem with the PIB passage.

ACF mobilises Northern Senators, Reps against single term •Moves against Petroleum Industry Bill

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Written by Taiwo Adisa, Abuja
Sunday, 16 October 2011
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The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) is midwifing a number of strategic meetings aimed at tackling President Goodluck Jonathan’s proposal for a single term in office for executive office holders through the planned constitution amendment exercise.

Sources at a number of meetings held at the instance of the ACF on October 4 indicated that the North is determined to pull down the proposal whenever it surfaces at the National Assembly.

A meeting was also organised with the Northern caucus in the Senate, where issues relating to interests of the zone were discussed.

A source at that meeting confirmed that issues of the Petroleum Industry Bill(PIB), the Constitution amendment and the single term proposal were discussed at the meeting with the Senate caucus.

It was learnt that a meeting of a delegation of the ACF with the Northern caucus of the House of Representatives had last week decided on the need to block the single term proposal and ensure that certain policies of President Jonathan do not sail through at the legislature.

A source said that the caucus has also set up a 19-man tact team to x-ray all bills and even motions coming up on the floor of the House with a view to ensuring that all such bills and motions are washed clean of anti-North sentiments.

Sources confided in Sunday Tribune that the North has identified some actions of President Jonathan as inimical and that plans are underway to stop those actions coming into fruition.

It was gathered that some Northern members of the House of Representatives have been compiling offences allegedly committed by the President with allegations that some South South candidates are being “planted” in certain areas.

At one meeting held in the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, shortly after a courtesy visit of the ACF, it was learnt that the North sees the Speaker as the only pillar of the North in the current administration and that members of the House of Representatives from the zone were told to put in all efforts to ensure his victory in June.

[b]A source at the closed door meeting told Sunday Tribune thus: “The Northern caucus in the House has put in place a team of 19 experts, saddled with the responsibility of critically looking into any Bill that is before the House with a view to ensuring that its negative effect on the North is addressed before its eventual passage.”

One source stated that in that light, the North has x-rayed the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) which is seen to have been skewed against the North.

One participant at the meeting was quoted as saying: that “the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), in its original form, was arranged and prepared to scheme out the North in the revenue formula. We are determined to ensure it dies at infancy.”

Another source told Sunday Tribune that one major fear of the ACF and the North is the planned single term proposal by President Jonathan.

It is feared that some unknown and yet to be disclosed toxic items are embedded in the proposed bill,” a source said, adding that the Northern caucus is primed to see the proposal in the light of the failed third term agenda of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Said a source close to the meeting: “We are calling on the ACF to continue to speak out for the North, as there are many things that we see but which we cannot speak on, but which the ACF can give appropriate response.”

Another source at the closed door meeting submitted thus: “The issue of the planned proposal of a single term tenure in office for president and governors agitated the mind of a senior member of ACF. He told the caucus that the idea is another third term agenda in disguise but members of the Reps caucus stated clearly that the single term tenure is a non-issue.

“Members specifically submitted that the proposal will ultimately be defeated and that even though the proposal is yet to be tabled in the National Assembly, it would be defeated anytime it surfaces.”

One of the conclusions of the meeting was the advise that strategic planning as regards the 2015 Presidency should start in earnest and that the ACF should galvanise opinions in the North to avoid divisive interests that failed the region in the past.[/b]


http://tribune.com.ng/sun/front-page-articles/5361-acf-mobilises-northern-senators-reps-against-single-term-moves-against-petroleum-industry-bill

Bontee:

Please there is no connection between PDP and the factors stalling the passage of the bill so leave them out of this sir.

how can you say theres no connection between the pdp and the passing of the bill..what is stalling the bill then?


I'm just wondering where the bill is anyway; one would expect a bill backed by the PDP executive will get a backing from a PDP dominant house abi

I mean conventional wisdom will mean Obama should have a problem passing a bill when the Democrats are the dominant party in the house
the obstacles come from the opposition, any in house opposition can be dealt with over time

Dis Guy:

how can you say theres no connection between the pdp and the passing of the bill..what is stalling the bill then?


I'm just wondering where the bill is anyway; one would expect a bill backed by the PDP executive will get a backing from a PDP dominant house abi

I mean conventional wisdom will mean Obama should have a problem passing a bill when the Democrats are the dominant party in the house
the obstacles come from the opposition, any in house opposition can be dealt with over time

You can check my replies to Gbawe as i have answered the points you raised in your posts. The democrats and PDP are two different parties with different modes of operation or idealogy. PDP is a collection of people with diverse interest so it doesn't mean they agree on everything. This is a party that could not agree on zoning or where the president should come from. PDP is a national party and a sad reflection of Nigeria. Just as there are diverse interest in Nigeria then there is bound to be diverse interest within PDP.

Please you can see from the last article i posted that the Northerners are the ones against the PIB and not those from the south.