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Shady oil deals: Reps reject move to absolve Diezani

 

Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke

The House of Representatives failed again on Tuesday to make progress on the consideration of the report on the Petroleum Industry Bill.

The lawmakers also stopped a report, which sought to give a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, and other actors a clean bill of health in their alleged involvement in “shady deals.”

The House has only Wednesday (today) and Thursday (tomorrow) left to sit before the expiration of its current tenure on June 5.

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We had long reported exclusively that the House might abandon the bill, as it was making slow progress on the 348-page report.

As the consideration resumed at Tuesday’s session, which was presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, members were noticeably divided along regional and political lines.

For example, the provision for a Frontier Exploration Fund to be used for exploring oil in other parts of the country, outside the South, divided members along regional lines.

A frustrated Ihedioha had to step in to halt the consideration as he realised that members were busy fighting for the interests of their regions.

He noted that most of the issues at stake were “technical” and could not be resolved through suggestions that tended to promote regional interests.

Ihedioha added, “I don’t want a political consideration. Whatever actions that we take must stand the test of time. People are voting politically, which will not help us.”

The report was again returned to the Ad Hoc Committee on the PIB headed by the Chief Whip, Mr. Ishaka Bawa, to do more work on it.

Amid the decision of the House to defer the report, lawmakers also stopped another report, which sought to give Alison-Madueke, and other actors a clean bill of health in their alleged involvement in “shady deals.”

The House cited the deals to involve the “farm out or allocation of Oil Mining Leases 4,26,30,34,38,41 and 42.”

The other actors were listed as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation; the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company; Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Ltd; and Septa Energy Ltd.

The report, which was produced by an ad hoc committee, claimed that no wrongdoing was established against the actors as the transactions conformed with the relevant laws.

But, members soon began to protest after the Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Mr. Albert Sam-Tsokwa, moved for its consideration.

Members vehemently opposed a particular recommendation, which read, “That a clean bill of health be given to all the parties involved in this transaction, as the entire transaction conformed to all the applicable laws.”

Lawmakers shouted “no”, “no”, “no” to oppose the report

When Ihedioha put the report to vote for consideration and approval, it was rejected with a resounding majority “nay” vote.