The South East All Progressives Congress (APC) Young Progressives Forum has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) into law.
The group in a statement issued by its leader, Paschal Candle, and made available to journalists in Awka, Anambra state capital, on Tuesday said the signing of the bill was a watershed in the history of petroleum industry in the country.
It, however, expressed surprise over the statements credited to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) against the passage, saying their statements were unfortunate.
Candle accused the PDP and PANDEF of playing ethnic sentiment with the bill.
He noted that for the 16 years the PDP was in power it could not make any meaningful progress with the Bill or control the two chambers of the National Assembly.
He said, “For 16 years, they were playing with the intelligence of investors and host communities. For 16 years, it was one excuse or the other. And in all these years, all the presidents of the country under the PDP platforms were from southern part of Nigeria except the late President (Umaru) Yar’adua who had only two years and some months.
“It is very unfortunate that this body of Niger Delta elders (PANDEF) has refused to speak the truth to their people. They have no moral standing to question or oppose President Buhari over the signing of the bill into law.
“Where are these set of people when President Goodluck Jonathan – their Son – was in power and his party, PDP, in control of both the Senate and House of Representatives for six years? What did he do with the Bill?”
The group urged Nigerians to disregard all these people who are playing ethnic card with PIB Act.
According to Candle, the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) will open windows of opportunities for the youths in oil producing communities and boost investor’s confidence in the sector.
He described the assent by President Buhari as “a major victory that has the potential of bailing Nigeria out of its economic predicament and an act that will enable the country make the most of economic gains of the oil industry for the benefit of Nigerians.”
“There is no doubt that the new law will help harness Nigeria’s potential to achieve its programme of raising oil production to four million barrel per day and oil reserves to 40 billion barrels, while also drawing on the country’s vast natural gas reserves to provide clean and efficient energy.
“This is a way to go and we thank Mr President for providing that leadership that is needed at this point in time. He has shown to be a father figure to all regions.” he stated.
The group called on Nigerians to ask PANDEF and the PDP to ask their governors in the South South region what they have done with 13 percent derivation fund coming to them for the past 16 years and the NDDC funds meant for the region.
This, he said, should be the major concern of the PANDEF and PDP.
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