Headlines
Senate Passes Petroleum Bill, Six Others Rejected by Buhari
The Senate on Wednesday passed the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill and six other bills earlier rejected by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The passage of the bills followed the adoption of their clause-by-clause consideration that lasted some hours.
Other bills passed are the Stamp Duties (Amendment) Bill, National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism (Est.) Bill, National Research and Innovation Council (Est.) Bill and National Agricultural Seeds Council Bill.
The rest are the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund (Amendment) Bill and Independent National Electoral Commission Act 2010 (Amendment) Bill.
Buhari had refused to sign the bills for various reasons ranging from financial constraints, negative impact on Nigerians, duplication of responsibilities, violations of extant laws to a lack of consultation with relevant stakeholders.
The Senate recently adopted the report of its Technical Committee on Declined Assent to Bills, which reviewed the President’s observations and redrafted the affected clauses in the bills.
Withholding assent to the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill in August 2018, Buhari had kicked against the provision permitting the Petroleum Regulatory Commission to retain as much as 10 per cent of the revenue generated and expanding the functions of the Petroleum Equalisation Fund.
In the new bill, the Senate agreed with Buhari’s submission and reduced the revenue generated by the regulatory commission from 10 percent to five per cent.
It also expunged the Petroleum Equalisation Fund from Part IV of the new bill.
The new bills will be transmitted to the House of Representatives for concurrence before being sent to the President for his assent.
PIGB is a fraction of a more comprehensive Petroleum Industry Bill, one of the longest standing bills in the National Assembly.
It was first introduced to the National Assembly in 2008 as an executive bill by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua.
The Sixth National Assembly (2007 – 2011) refused to pass the bill.
It was brought back to the National Assembly in 2012 by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
In 2014, 47 out of the 360 members of the House of Representatives in the Seventh Assembly (2011-2015) were present when the bill was passed a few hours to the end of their tenure. But the bill failed to get concurrence from the Senate.
The current proposal is a private member bill sponsored by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Upstream, Tayo Alasoadura.
The Punch
Headlines
Abiola Cannot Be Recognised As Former President; He Was Never Sworn-in – Gen Ishola Williams
By Eric Elezuo
One of the prime actors of the June 12, 1993 incidents, General Ishola Williams, has said that much as Chief MKO Abiola wrong was created having won the election, and denied victory, he cannot be recognized as a former President of Nigeria.
Gen Williams made his revelation while speaking as a guest on Channels television socio-political programme, Inside Source.
He maintained that only those who were sworn in that recognised as former presidents, and Abiola was never sworn in.
“Abiola cannot be recognised as former president because he was never sworn in.
The General, who said that he resigned from the army as a result of the wholesome reception given to General Sani Abacha, when he overthrew Chief Ernest Shonekan-led Interim National Government, contrary to expectation, also picked flaws in the narratives given by former Military President Ibrahim Babangida, in his recently launched book, A Journey In Service.
Williams rose in the army to become the Commandant of Army Signals, Commander of Training and Doctrine (TRADOC) and Chief of Defence Training and Planning, from where he resigned.
Headlines
Breaking: Supreme Court Recognises Martin Amaewhule As Rivers Assembly Speaker, Orders CBN to Stop Releasing Funds to State
By Eric Elezuo
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has in its ruling on Friday recognised Hon Martins Amaewhule as the authentic speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, mandating him to urgently resume sitting with elected members of the assembly.
The apex court also ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria to stop releasing to the Rivers State government until a proper assembly is constituted.
Details soon…
Tension escalated at the Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday as impeached Speaker Mudashiru Obasa made a dramatic return to reclaim his position.
Accompanied by heavily armed men, Obasa stormed the Assembly complex in a bold move that has thrown the State’s legislature into turmoil.
In a stunning turn of events, security details assigned to the substantive Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mojisola Meranda, were abruptly withdrawn on Thursday morning, clearing the path for Obasa’s controversial comeback.
Sources revealed that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) ordered the withdrawal of all security operatives attached to Meranda, leaving her exposed in the midst of an intensifying power struggle.
The Speaker’s Special Adviser on Information, Mr. Victor Ganzallo, expressed concern over the security vacuum created by the withdrawal of personnel.
“In the early hours of Thursday, we woke up to the startling news that all security details assigned to Madam Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, had been withdrawn.
This includes the police and DSS officers, leaving her exposed to threats amid the ongoing speakership crisis,” Ganzallo stated.
He further called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, as the State’s Chief Security Officer, to intervene urgently to prevent a complete breakdown of law and order within the Assembly.
“The withdrawal of security personnel has left the Assembly naked and vulnerable at a critical time. Urgent action is needed to restore order,” he pleaded.
With the speakership battle taking a dramatic new turn, political watchers are keenly observing how the crisis will unfold in the coming days.
