New Telegraph

2023: PDP must return for Nigeria’s stability, growth –Gov. Emmanuel

Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom

• Chides govt on host communities 3% equity in PIB

 

The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, yesterday, said that Nigerians must vote for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023 in order for the unity of country and its economy to be restored.

 

The governor also said that both Chambers of the National Assembly have performed their duties in the percentage due for host communities as approved in the Petroleum Industry Bill.

 

The governor, who spoke with Journalists at the graduation ceremony in El- Amin International School, Minna, called on Nigerians to vote for the PDP to return stability to the country. He said: “For 2023 general elections, my people told me to vote for the PDP.

 

“The advice I was given without sounding partisan is that the whole country should vote the PDP in 2023. We are bridge builders and when we come back to the centre, we will reunite Nigerians. We will build the economy of Nigeria. Look, when Nigeria achieved the best in our economy, when we were at the peak of our economic glory was when the PDP was in power.

 

“So, if you have tested PDP and attested that they have delivered, why not try them again? You can’t change the winning team. All that I can advise Nigerians is that in 2023, let us return to PDP.

 

And I can bet with my certificate that the economy of this nation shall return to its past glory”. On the PIB, he argued that the governors from the Southern part of the country and the host communities will also perform their duties. Said, 5 per cent is not too much for the host communities even though every person has his own role to play.

 

It would be recalled that the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) which will govern the operations of the oil industry in Nigeria was passed by both houses of the National Assembly this week after the PIB conference committee set up by both the lower chamber and the senate submitted its report.

 

According to him:”We have made our position known as Southern Governors. The National Assembly may have passed their Bill.

 

 

They are performing their own duties. We will also perform our own. “On the controversy about the petroleum Bill, we have made our position known as Southern Governors.

 

The National Assembly may have passed their Bill, they are performing their own duties, we will also perform our own. And so, I don’t want to talk more than that. “The Southern Governors are saying that, how can you not give the communities at least 5 per cent. We are not asking for too much.

 

They (National Assembly) insisted on 3 per cent. Well, we cannot say anything. We have spoken as a body and we will see how it goes. “It is one thing to say these things but people do not really understand the impact. I don’t think it’s fair to just say only 3 per cent to the host communities. Our fishermen can no longer earn a living because of oil spillage, no more farmlands.

 

People need to see the devastating effect on these communities and it’s not so much to say out of the profit of the NNPC to just give these people 5 per cent. “I don’t think they are asking for too much but if in the wisdom of the National Assembly, they say they want to pass 3 per cent, who are we? We cannot take away their functions.

 

They are performing their functions, and so we will also perform our own. Every person has their own functions to play. The communities have their own functions to play.

 

The National Assembly are playing their own role” The governor, who did not say the functions they will be performing however said “at the end of the day, I wish the very best for our nation”.

The Ijaw National Congress over the weekend said it will not be able to guarantee peace in the Niger Delta over the decision of the National Assembly to retain the three per cent proposed for host communities in the harmonized Petroleum Industry Bill.

 

The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) also warned that the PIB had the capacity to generate conflict with host communities, urging the President, Muhammadu Buhari, not to sign the bill into law.

 

The INC had commended the National Assembly members from the region, who staged a walkout during the passage of the harmonized PIB on Thursday to protest against the three per cent allocation.

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