Reps Deputy Speaker Commends Northern Legislators Over Electoral Act, PIB

BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Idris Ahmed Wase has commended members of the House from the north for protecting and promoting the interest of the region in ensuring the eventual passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), and the Electoral Act Amendment Bill despite stiff oppositions from their counterparts from the South.

The commendation and congratulatory message, it was gathered, was sent on behalf of the Deputy Speaker by his Chief of Staff, Aminu Malle to the lawmakers through their WhatsApp group at the weekend.

In the message, Wase commended the northern lawmakers for protecting the interest of the North and showing unity.

The message read in part; “On behalf of the Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase and the Northern Caucus leader Hon. Musa Sarki Adar, I am directed to write and formally congratulate and appreciate all the Northern caucuses for standing firm through their wisdom and strength to ensure the Northern interest in both PIB and Electoral Act is adequately placed in a position of advantage

“There is no doubt a house united will forever get whatever it wants, giving (sic) the advantage we have in size. May God Almighty continue to unite and bind us stronger. May He bless and reward us all abundantly. Remain blessed and wish you the best holidays and Sallah celebrations. Thank you all.”

Checks indicate that during the passage of the PIB, the Northern Nigeria’s quest for oil received a huge boost as Section 9 of the bill states that at least 30 per cent of the profit generated by the proposed Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited will go to the exploration of oil in “frontier basins,” which are mostly Northern states.

But, the demand by oil-producing communities in the South for five per cent of the profit of oil firms was reduced to three per cent

In the same vein, during the passage of the Electoral Act, legislators from the northern states moved against the electronic transmission of election results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), insisting that many states in the North had weak Internet penetration.

The Southern Governors Forum met in Lagos recently, during which they canvassed for electronic transmission of results and also rejected the 30 percent allocation of NNPC’s profits for oil exploration.