ABUJA – Concerted efforts by sponsors to kick-start debate on new Petroleum Industry Bill were frustrated in the Senate yesterday, for want of procedural presentation.
Most senators were opposed to the second reading of the bill on the premise that copies of the bill were not distributed to them
They asserted that the usual procedure was that bills were circulated to members well ahead of time before debate begun.
Presiding Senate President Bukola Saraki had given the floor to the sponsor of the bill, Senator Omotayo Alasoadura (Ondo Central) to lead the debate but opposition mounted as the lawmakers shouted that they were yet to receive copies of the bill.
Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, who led the protest, submitted that copies of the bill should have been circulated to all Senators ahead of formal debate to enable them make useful contributions.
Akpabio insisted that the bill entitled “A bill for an Act to provide for governance and institutional framework for the Petroleum Industry and for other matters connected therewith, 2016” should not be treated with levity.
He noted that since oil and gas remained the life wire of the country’s economy since independence, any bill aimed at revitalizing the sector should be given the importance it deserved.
“Mr President, I believe that we are discussing about the economy of Nigeria since 1960.
The main stay of the economy of this country has been crude oil and therefore, the Petroleum Industry Bill is such an important bill that will affect people suffering in this country.
It will also affect the budget of the federal government that we are doing today.
It is not the kind of bill that we can stay here and gloss over and then allow somebody to do a lead debate without senators having the bill in their hands.
It is something we must study and come and make our own inputs, because we have to make sure that if that bill is properly done and then the president signs it into law, then it will help the economy of this country and it will also help to generate more income and enhance the living standards of Nigerians.
I think it is an exercise in futility for my brother to do a lead debate when the bill is not circulated to senators”, Sen. Akpabio stressed.
Ruling that the bill be stood down till today, Senate President Saraki explained that the bill was circulated last week Thursday.
He therefore enjoined Sen. Alasoadura to ensure that copies of the bill were circulated.
Coming under Order 76 of the Senate Rules, Sen. Kabiru Marafa (Zamfara central) criticized the Senate for taking credit of its sponsorship.
He insisted that it was wrong for the Senate to present itself as the sponsor of the bill
“I come under Order 76, which reads: there shall be three classes of bills, namely, Executive Bill, Members Bill and Private Bill.
As far as I can remember, the PIB was an executive bill, submitted to this chamber and as an executive bill, it was submitted wholly as one bill to be considered equally and thoroughly.
To my greatest surprise the presenter here is telling us that he has separated the bill into parts and pieces to be considered and I don’t know where he drew that authority from, because the executive has already submitted one bill and not part and pieces.
So, I want to suggest that the presenter brings the bill as presented by the executive arm of government”, he submitted.
He was however informed by the Senate President that so far, there was no bill on PIB from the executive before the Senate.
