Politics
Reps: PIB Passes 2nd Reading
A bill for an Act to provide for legal, governance, regulatory and fiscal framework for the Nigerian petroleum industry, development of host communities and for related matter has passed second reading in the House of Representatives.
The bill which is also known as Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) passed second reading after hours of debate during plenary yesterday in Abuja.
The Leader of the House, Rep. Ado Doguwa (APC-Kano) said that Nigeria had high gas deposit that was not being effectively utilised.
He said that if the PIB was passed into law, it would open up the sector, create jobs for the youths, women and men in the country.
Doguwa said that the bill, when passed, would also address the security challenges in the country such as kidnapping, banditry and terrorism would become a thing of the past.
The Minority Leader of the House, Rep. Ndudi Elumelu (PDP-Delta) said that the passage of the PIB was long overdue.
He said that the bill should be passed as soon as possible as the essence was to remove the uncertainty in the existing legal framework.
Elumelu said that some developed countries had set a time limit to transfer to green energy which would make crude oil almost useless.
The Rep said that the bill would institutionalise and ensure ease of doing business in the sector and help Nigeria maximise the benefits therein.
Also, Rep. Mohammed Mungonu (APC-Borno) said that the Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation (NNPC) as currently constituted had become a clog in the wheel of progress in the sector.
Monguno, who is the Chief Whip of the House, said that the bill sought to unbundle the NNPC into smaller components to drive the sector in line with international best practices.
Rep. Henry Archibong (PDP-Archibong) recalled that the last reform bill passed in the sector drove some International Oil Companies (IOCs) from the country.
According to him, crude oil can now be found in many counties in Africa who are allegedly luring IOC to come and invest.
The lawmaker said that it was important to seek and take seriously, the views of IOCs operating in the sector before the bill was passed into law.
Also, Rep. Henry Nwawuba (PDP-Imo) urged the house to meticulously consider the bill before it was passed into law so as not to take the country back.
He said that the PIB had spent 12 years in the National Assembly but had not been passed because of many interests.
The legislator however said that there was need to pass the bill as it would attract investments and would be of economic gains for Nigeria.
“Let us take advantage of oil and build programmers that would sustain us after oil is gone,” he said.
Nwauba said one of the reasons PIB was not passed in the 8th Assembly was because of late engagement with the Executive on the bill.
He urged that the Executive be carried along to prevent any issue of misunderstandings at the end of the process.
Rep. Nkem Abonta (PDP-Abia) urged the house to be careful of “legislative mines” that could stall the passage of the bill.
In his ruling, the Speaker of the house, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamilia referred the bill to the ad hoc committee on PIB for further legislative actions.
During a press conference held in Owerri, the coalition called the campaign a “dangerous and shameful display” designed to distract the public from the governor’s performance in office.
The CSOs directly linked the Greater Imo Initiative (GII) —the group that made the allegations on September 4, 2025—to Governor Uzodimma, describing the group as his “mouthpiece and attack dog.”
“Every word spoken against INEC was spoken on his behalf.
“By falsely alleging that Professor Yakubu has an alliance with Dr. Amadi to compromise the 2027 elections, Uzodimma has not only maligned a man of proven integrity but also assaulted the very foundation of our democracy”, said Dr Agbo Frederick, speaking for the coalition.
The coalition described Professor Yakubu as a “beacon of electoral professionalism” and called the attempt to soil his reputation “defamatory and a national security risk.”
They also defended Dr. Amadi, a “respected development scholar,” stating that the governor’s accusations were “laughable, desperate, and dangerous.”
The CSOs see the motive behind the campaign as an attempt to “silence the dissent, intimidate the opposition, and divert attention from the governor’s abysmal record in office.”
The coalition issued four key demands to Governor Uzodimma: An immediate retraction of the false and defamatory allegations against Professor Mahmood Yakubu and Dr. Chima Amadi.
- A public apology to both men within seven days, to be published in at least three national newspapers and broadcast on major television networks.
- An end to diversionary tactics and proxy propaganda.
- A renewed focus on governance, including addressing insecurity, unemployment, and poverty in Imo State.
The CSOs warned that failure to comply would force them to “review our position with a view to seeking legal redress from Governor Uzodimma for defamation, false accusation, and reckless endangerment of lives.”
“Governor Uzodimma must be reminded that he did not find himself in the seat of power to chase shadows.
“We call on all Nigerians to reject Uzodimma’s diversionary antics as they are nothing short of desperate plots by a government terrified of accountability”, the statement concluded.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC expressed concern that preventing the senator from resuming her legislative duties violates democratic principles and disenfranchises her constituents.
“The suspension, having been imposed by the Senate and not a court of law, has lapsed. Any further attempt to prevent her from resuming is therefore both illegal and morally indefensible,” Mallam Abdullahi said.
The party noted that denying Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan access to the chamber silences the voice of the people who elected her, adding that the withdrawal of her salary, aides, and office access during the suspension amounted to excessive punishment.
The ADC also criticised the Clerk of the National Assembly for declining to process her resumption on grounds that the matter was before the courts, arguing that the Clerk’s role was administrative, not judicial.
“Administrative caution must not translate into complicity. When the administrative machinery becomes hostage to political interests, the institution itself is diminished,” the party stated.
Highlighting that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan is one of only four women in the 109-member Senate, the ADC warned that the handling of the case sends a discouraging signal about gender inclusion in Nigerian politics.
“Any action that resembles gender intimidation of the few women in the Senate would only discourage women’s participation. Nigeria cannot claim to be a democracy while excluding half of its population from key decision-making spaces,” Mallam Abdullahi added.
The ADC insisted that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan be allowed to resume her seat immediately, stressing that the matter was about more than one individual.
“What is at stake here is not just one Senate seat, but the integrity of our democracy itself,” the party said.
