Buhari Shouldn’t Assent To PIB – Solomon Lenu

A coalition of Niger Delta youth groups have come out to urge Muhammadu Buhari not to assent to the Petroleum Industry Bill recently passed by the Senate.

Solomon Lenu recently had his say on behalf of the coalition at a media briefing in Port Harcourt, and Nigerians have been reacting.

According to him, there is need for an urgent review the PIB to reflect the views of the host communities, and the action of the senate undermines the 65 years of oil discovery and exploration activities in the region.

He added that the National Assembly is only trying to unleash pain upon the oil-producing communities with their recent move.

His words, “Instead of celebrations, we were left distraught with the discovery and realisation that most of our tiny but critical demands which were made out of our magnanimity as a people of peace had not been met with the current bill as passed.”

“That the PIB must be revisited with the views of the host communities carefully considered, as this was not the case with the current bundle of pain the National Assembly is trying to foist upon the oil-producing communities.”

“That the current review of the 1999 constitution should precede the review and ratification of the PIB, as most of the skewness and marginalization we see with this bill’s passage is predicated upon the careful malevolence in the 1999 constitution.”

“That there will be consequences in form of dissociation and loss of partnership of Niger Delta youths and people, should the government proceed further without giving consideration to the anomalies cited in the position of ours.”