Politics
As Jonathan’s PIB War With NASS Rages…
In the heat of insecurity in parts of the northern part of
Nigeria, and sundry distractions,
President Goodluck Jonathan seems obviously bent on accomplishing one of his
major pre-2011election promises – to end chronic power shortage in the country.
And he intends to do this by ensuring that the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) is
passed in its present state.
But with the lawmakers in the National Assembly (NASS)
picking holes here and there in the PIB, particularly with what they see as
undue powers given to the Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke
and the President, this seems unlikely.
The lawmakers are particularly vexed because from their
perspective, besides giving too much power to the Oil Minister, Jonathan’s
committee also added a clause in the new draft that permits the President to
unilaterally give oil licenses out. This they consider as both powers beyond
the President, and a usurpation of the powers of the legislature.
The question, therefore, is will the PIB have a better
outing in the NASS this time around when the parliament return from recess in September?
What with the determination of rebellious lawmakers to test President
Jonathan’s resolve to push the bill through the way it is?
In a recent interview with Reuters, most of the lawmakers
minced no word in saying that the PIB, which had been stuck in the parliament
since 2008 when it was introduced by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua-led
federal government, will not have an easy ride come September.
From the perspective of President Jonathan, if the bill is
passed, it could restore his presidency, which had been seriously battered by
Islamist insurgency in the north, an abortive attempt to remove a popular fuel
subsidy and a raft of corruption scandals since winning the election last year
April. His team had thus made it clear that they expect a swift passage of the
draft he had signed off on.
In the words of the West African analyst at Control Risks,
Roddy Barclay, “As a President who came to power with a landmark reform agenda,
the passage and in implementation of the PIB will provide a key gauge of
Jonathan’s performance in office.
“Having suffered numerous damaging public scandals in recent
months and making headway on his key piece of legislation would go some way to
restoring his international standing”.
The President’s explicit endorsement of the bill gives it a
better chance of passing compared to previous versions, but his increasingly
tense relationship with parliament means that he is likely to have to concede
some ground or face embarrassing delays.
While speaking to Reuters, spokesman for the House of
Representatives, Zakari Mohammed, puts it thus: “We will not be subjected to
pressure to pass the PIB. It will not get a speedy passage but a thorough
passage”.
Another member of the lower House, who spoke to Reuters
anonymously, painted a better picture of the imminent tug of war awaiting the
debate on the PIB when he said ‘we’ve seen the powers given to the oil minister
in the PIB and there is no way we’re going to allow our heritage to be handed
over to any individual. We want this to pass and it will, but not just the way
the President and the oil minister want”.
The apparent disagreement between the Executive and
Legislature not-with-standing, a section of Nigerians believe that the
misunderstanding could also turn out to be the best thing that can happen to
the country in the face of suffocating corruption and distrust in the Nigerian
system.
For Clement Nwankwo, a Director at the Policy and Legal
Advocacy Centre in Abuja, “this unfavourable sentiment towards the President
and oil minister may actually be positive towards giving Nigeria a reasonably
acceptable PIB”.
The questions thus arise: why the hullabaloo over what would
better the lives of Nigerians? And Who benefits by this prolonged imbroglio?
The original PIB as presented to the NASS in 2008 was
designed to force Nigeria’s oil sector to conform more closely to international
norms. The fiscal terms of oil production were to be amended in order for the
government to collect more revenue while the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC), distinctly lacking in accountability, was to have its
regulatory powers removed. These would be entrusted to the commercial sector.
However, it seems the bill has been greatly watered down.
The restructuring of the industry as proposed by the PIB
would see the establishment of the National Petroleum Commission, which would
be run by a board chaired by a federal minister. It will have the overriding
responsibility of formulating policies for the administration of the industry.
The bill states categorically that the commission under the
Act “shall have power to coordinate the activities of the petroleum industry
and exercise overall supervisory functions over petroleum operations and all
the institutions of the industry.”
It also provides for the creation of some agencies out of
the present Nigerian National Petroleum Commission, while it would transform
into the National Oil Company.
The PIB is expected to bring root and branch reform to an
industry that produces 80 percent of government revenues but has been plagued
by corruption and mismanagement for decades.
The wide-ranging bill would change working terms for major
oil companies like Shell and Exxon and partly privatise the national oil firm,
but has been held up as government, oil firms and other key benefactors argue
over terms under various guises, mostly guided by selfish interest.
This widely believed to have been given credence by the fact
that heading President Jonathan’s reform team is Diezani Alison-Madueke. She is
the Minister of Petroleum Resources and also a former director of Shell
Petroleum Development Corporation. This employment history is seen as being
capable of potentially posing a conflict of interests.
The same interest comes to the fore when it becomes glaring
that some aspects of the bill are being contested by international oil
companies. They include areas that have to do with tax regimes that tend to put
more burdens on such companies and make them more responsible in the way they
do business in Nigeria. Captured under the Nigerian Hydrocarbon Tax, operators
would be required to pay taxes on gas products separately as against what it is
now.
Close observers of the industry believe that Shell is one of
the biggest beneficiaries of the murkiness of Nigeria’s oil sector. The attempt
by the sixth National Assembly (2007-11) to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill
was allegedly cut short due to movements by international oil companies.
In 2010, for instance, leaked United States diplomatic
cables quoted Ann Pickard, then Vice-President of Shell for Africa, boasting
about how Shell encouraged employees to infiltrate all relevant government
agencies.
Secondly, while some sections of Nigerians suggest that the
expected reforms would convert NNC into a profit centre, this may perhaps
amount to being overly optimistic because as long as the NNPC remains an
appendage of the executive government and an epicentre of patronage, this
change may not be plausible.
While baring his mind on the bill, Chairman of the Senate
Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Senator Magnus Abe, said it should not be
a surprise that a revolutionary piece of legislation like the PIB is attracting
this kind of resistance in the legislature.
According to him, “There is no way you will make such a revolutionary
reorganisation of the oil industry in this country without going through
challenges. I think it will be naïve of any Nigerian to think so. I know for a
fact that there are a lot of interests: economic interests, political interests
and social interests that are tied to the oil sector.
“In dealing with a subject like the petroleum industry bill,
which seeks to reshape the industry, recreate it and remake it on a commercial
basis, we will take out a lot of the waste and the unnecessary patronage that
is currently associated with the industry, and I don’t think that we can
achieve that without some level of turbulence and challenges.”
One way out of the mess in the oil sector, he continued, is
for the National Assembly to “put the interest of Nigeria first, finding a
common ground and passing a law that would enable the petroleum industry to
develop for the benefit of the people.
“I know that oil industry players would have their own
interest, which they would like to see written into the law; but we are
Nigerians, the resources belong to us and it is the interest of our people that
we should promote over and everything else.
“We also have to remember that in promoting the interest of
our people, we must make sure that those who participate in the industry can
get fair returns for their investments because if they don’t get it, then even
trying to get something for your own people will be useless.
“It is not rocket science. There are existing models in
other societies that they have used and it is working and has worked very well.
You can even take the case of Malaysia, we have Petronas; in Brazil, you have
Petrolbraz and the Libyan Oil Company.
“All these are reformed oil sectors that have resulted in
the national oil companies themselves becoming major economic and big time
players in the industry. They are even investing in other societies outside and
bringing home profits from their investments.
“But instead, our own NNPC is a source of debt, a source of
patronage, is a source of waste; it is a source of mismanagement of the oil
industry. So the PIB is supposed to take care of all that and any time you want
to change something that people are benefiting from, there is bound to be
challenges. You know that that is always the case, people don’t give away their
benefits,” Abe said.
President of the Senate, David Mark, has also promised that
the bill would be given due attention once it comes before the Senate, noting
that “the problem with the PIB was that when it showed up, there were so many
versions. As many as three or four versions were in the hands of senators and
members of the House of Representatives.”
He however said, “If we are to build the sector, we have to
get the bill off the ground and this is why it is necessary for cooperation
between the legislative and the executive.”
If the Chambers are so determined, then, an end to this long
journey seems near. One certainty is that whatever the bill looks like at the
end of the day, passing it would at least end the uncertainty that had
prevented Nigeria from holding an oil licensing round for over five years.
Again, if it is passed with the sole interest of the
Nigerian populace at heart, it will not only attract investment into natural
gas in the country, but also be the beginning of an end to chronic power
shortages. This is obviously the kind of legacy President Jonathan would want
to bequeath to future generations of this great country.
The Senate has confirmed Professor Joash Amupitan as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The Red Chamber confirmed Amupitan after a voice vote conducted by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and after undergoing screening and answering questions posed by the lawmakers.
Amupitan had earlier arrived at the National Assembly complex earlier, exchanged pleasantries with Senators.
He was accompanied to the chamber by the Governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Ododo, and other dignitaries.
At about 12:50 p.m., the nominee was ushered into the Senate chamber by the Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Abubakar Lado, and was already seated ahead of the commencement of the exercise.
Amupitan was allowed into the hallowed chamber after the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), moved that Order 12 be set aside to allow visitors into the chamber, and he was seconded by the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South).
Senate President Godswill Akpabio welcomed Amupitan, his family members, and well-wishers to the Red Chamber, commending them for their presence.
Before introducing himself to the Senators for the question and answer session to take off, Akpabio disclosed to his colleagues that the nominee had been cleared by the office of the National Security Adviser after vetting.
According to Akpabio, the office of the Department of State Services had also cleared him.
The Senate President also said that the Office of the Inspector-General of Police, having done a fingerprint search on him, cleared him and said that he had no criminal records with the police.
The screening exercise commenced at about 12:55 p.m. following Akpabio’s opening remarks, during which he outlined the procedures to be followed by the lawmakers in considering the nominee’s credentials.
The screening session focused on Amupitan’s vision for credible elections, his plans for institutional reforms within INEC, and measures to deepen the use of technology in Nigeria’s electoral process.
Following his confirmation by the Senate, Amupitan will oversee preparations for upcoming off-cycle governorship elections and lay the groundwork for the 2027 general elections.
The Tide source earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu had nominated Amupitan, a Professor of Law from the University of Jos, to succeed Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
The President’s letter conveying Amupitan’s nomination was read on the floor of the Senate by Akpabio during plenary on Tuesday.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Jos, Amupitan, is widely regarded for his expertise in constitutional and international law.
He said, although he was deeply concerned about some governors and lawmakers defecting to the APC, the party was working quietly behind the scenes to stabilise its ranks and rebuild public trust.
“If you ask me whether I’m concerned about our governors leaving for APC, I am more than concerned. But leadership is a burden. As a leader of a group of equal status, I cannot determine the decisions or inactions of my colleagues, but certainly, a lot of work is being done behind the scenes,” he said.
The Bauchi governor accused the APC-led federal government of using coercive tactics to weaken the opposition, saying the ruling party was bent on turning Nigeria into a one-party state.
“You know the style of leadership of the APC-led federal government in trying to make this country a one-party state. They have the power of coercion; they have the power of everything,” he said.
Governor Mohammed, however, maintained that the defections would not derail the PDP’s resurgence, stressing that most Nigerians at the grassroots remained loyal to the party.
“Even those who left are not finding it easier because most of the people at the grassroots level are PDP and are not happy with the defections. Sometimes it is done because of permutations and calculations. But I assure you I am not going anywhere. I am in PDP, and my state has no element of division,” he explained.
Governor Mohammed revealed that more defections could occur, including from lawmakers in his state, but insisted the PDP structure in Bauchi remained solid.
“Even today, I saw in the news that one of my senators is going. They are being controlled, they are being bought, but certainly, the state is PDP. Nigerians want change, and they believe they can get it through the PDP,” he stated.
The governor emphasised that the PDP had laid the foundation for most of Nigeria’s measurable achievements under successive governments and that the party remained the only credible platform capable of providing national renewal.
“Most of the measurable achievements by the federal government were done by PDP regimes. By the grace of God, if we stand firm, we will deliver. Some of us who won as governors were not even considered capable, and here we are. That’s what will play out in 2027,” he said.
Addressing concerns over potential threats to the forthcoming convention, the PDP stalwart said the party leadership was working to resolve internal disputes and litigations aimed at destabilising preparations.
“I cannot speak for the National Working Committee, but as a leader within the party, I know they are doing their best to address issues of litigations. Many are artificially created to undermine us, but we don’t have any faction in the PDP,” he said.
He noted that while some individuals had approached the courts to stop the party’s convention, the PDP remained more organised than most opposition parties.
“Comparatively, most of the other parties are not better off than us. We are better off than most opposition parties. We are the only ones intact; with one National Secretary, one National Chairman, and one Publicity Secretary. This meeting gives hope that at the end of the day, we will deliver,” he said.
On reports of Governor Peter Mbah’s rumoured defection from the PDP, Governor Mohammed said Governor Mbah had not formally declared any intention to leave and remained a respected colleague.
“Actually, Governor Mbah has not told us his position. It is a personal decision. We cannot remove his picture before he leaves. When he leaves, we will replace him with another person. Up till now, he has not told me he’s leaving,” he said.
He also dismissed speculation surrounding Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, describing him as a loyal member of the PDP who had endured significant challenges in office.
“He has not left the party; he is still PDP. Everybody has his own style. He is a humble young man who has gone through so much and has done well to accommodate all the problems and challenges he found himself in,” he said.
Commenting on speculations about a possible 2027 presidential project involving former President Goodluck Jonathan, the Bauchi governor said the PDP remained open to prominent figures who wished to return or associate with the party.
“People are still interested in this party, and these big names being associated with us make us happy. As governors, we have resolved to put personal interests aside. We are united and will come up with leadership that will be the best choice for Nigerians to put in Aso Rock, inshallah,” he stated.
Governor Mohammed reaffirmed his commitment to the PDP and expressed optimism that new, visionary leaders would emerge from the party in 2027 to defeat what he called the APC’s ‘deceptive’ style of politics.
“If somebody goes, just like a bird, they go, they come. Please, don’t blame anybody at the governors’ level; we are doing our best, but it is beyond our control,” he said.
In a statement following his recent visit to the United States and Rome, Mr Obi said he used the pilgrimage as an opportunity to seek divine intervention for Nigeria’s unity, peace, and responsible leadership.
He stated that after addressing members of the Friendship Club in the US and speaking at the 1st Ubuntu African Youth Assembly in Washington, he proceeded to Rome to join his wife for a spiritual retreat.
“With hearts full of gratitude, we thanked God that, despite our differences and the many challenges faced over 65 years of independence, He has kept us together as one nation,” Mr Obi said.
During the pilgrimage, the couple visited the four major Papal Basilicas in Rome — St. Mary Major, St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. John Lateran, and St. Peter’s Basilica — where they met with other Nigerian pilgrims.
“Along the way, we met many Nigerian pilgrims: men and women of faith whose faces shone with quiet hope. Together, we renewed our trust in God’s mercy and in the promise of a better Nigeria,” he added.
Reaffirming his faith in both divine providence and civic duty, Mr Obi maintained that prayer must be matched with personal and collective effort.
“Faith does not absolve us of responsibility; it calls us to action. We must each continue to do our part, with honesty, diligence, and love, for our nation’s healing and progress,” he said.
Mr Obi was accompanied by his wife, Margaret, during the pilgrimage, which also included an audience with His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, at the Vatican City.
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