​PIB will change economic fortune of Nigeria – Lawan

The President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, has assured Nigerians that the Petroleum Industry Bill(PIB) which is before the National Assembly will change the fortune of the country by the time it becomes law.

“The PIB is going to be a piece of legislation that in our estimation will change the economic fortune of Nigeria and of course improve the earnings by our businesses who are here and we want to attract many more investments into the oil and gas industry in Nigeria,” Lawan said.

The Senate President spoke in his office while playing host to the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing CB.

Lawan said the ninth Assembly would ensure the passage of the PIB as promised even though, he pointed out, that the bill had “suffered from a demonic influence” by refusing passage since 2008 when it was first introduced to the sixth Assembly.

“We are so confident that we will be able to pass this bill by April. We want it signed into law by May and we want every stakeholder to be a winner,” Lawan said.

The Senate President was also upbeat about the passage of the Electoral amendment bill now being processed by the Assembly.

“I want to assure Nigerians that we have a target and we think it’s a realistic target. It’s doable and we have the determination and capacity to affect the ammendment(to Electoral Act) before we go on summer break in June/July and our committee has done so much work,” Lawan said.

On the security situation in the country, Lawan said the Government is doing everything possible to change the tide.

The Senate President referred to his recent meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in which “our discussion centred on ensuring that the two arms of government work closely to ensure that we win this war as quickly as possible.

“I’m of the view that because the raining season will be here in the next two, three months, we need to secure the whole environment because for the peasant Nigerian, what is crucial to him is to be alive and go to his farm.

“If the environment is not secured, farmers will not be able to go to farms and that will be a big challenge to us because it is not going to be easy for us to provide food for all the Nigerian peasant farmers.

“So we are working together with the Executive arm of government and we are going to achieve a remarkable result.”

The Senate President also spoke on Farmers/Herders clashes and cautioned on religious or ethnic profiling.

“I believe in every society or community, we have criminals…In every ethnic group, you have good people, you have bad people. Therefore, as leaders, we shouldn’t allow ourselves to fall into the temptation of ethnic profiling because it doesn’t help the fight against criminality and we need every hand on deck, North, South, Christians Muslims, to fight criminality wherever it is in Nigeria,” Lawan said.

Earlier, the British High Commissioner, Catriona Laing commended President Buhari over the appointment of the new Service Chiefs and urged the National Assembly to ensure the passage of the PIB and Electoral Amendment Bill.

​Kagara kidnapping: Niger Governor accuses FG of abandonment

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello has accused the Federal Government of abandoning it to its faith in its bid to rescue the abducted 27 students and others of the government science college Kagara.

The Governor who made this lamentation when Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu paid him a sympathy visit at Government House Minna yesterday said though the Federal government sent a delegation to the state on the matter but that it has been left to shoulder the financial responsibility alone.

“The Federal Government has sent a delegation to the state and has deplored additional 300 mobile policemen to the state but the government has been left to shoulder all the financial responsibility so where is the support.

“At the moment, we have not seen any Federal support here since this incident occurred. Yes we had a delegation that came to commiserate with us but we are left to ourselves,” he remarked.

The Governor however gave an assurance that with or without the support of the Federal Government, the state government has already taken steps to rescue the abducted students, the Staff and other relatives in captivity unhurt.

“We will use whatever means and resources available to make sure the children return home safely,” he assured. Governor Bello, however, said that government cannot say when exactly the Children and others will be released saying, “we don’t have an exact day when these children will be released but I am very sure very soon”.

Earlier, the Chief Whip said he was in Minna to commiserate with the government and People of Niger state over the recent security challenges and the abduction of innocent school children by armed bandits.

Senator Kalu used the opportunity to call on the Federal government to as a matter of necessity establish a joint security committee in the state and other troubled parts of the country in order to battle the bandits to a standstill.

“We sympathize with you and we share in your grieve at the moment because we know what you are passing through and this is why I am calling on the Federal Government to set up a Joint Security Committee in the state in order to wage a total war against the bandits and defeat them, finally, “he remarked.

​Biafra: Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB must listen to us – Ohanaeze Ndigbo

The President General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Professor George Obiozor, yesterday, reiterated that Ndigbo are not at war with Nigeria, stressing that Ndigbo would continue their efforts to seek justice, peace and fairness in all their dealings with everybody in Nigeria.

Obiozor who spoke at a grand reception in his honour by Ndigbo Lagos, at the Civic Center, Victoria Island, cautioned those making utterances that have tendencies to put Ndigbo in danger to refrain from it.

He said: “Everybody should stop utterances or actions that will or have the tendencies to put Ndigbo in present and immediate danger or on harm’s way. That is what my message is in this matter.

“Igbo are not at war with Nigeria. I want it to be noted very clearly. And we are not planning to have a separate existence from Nigeria. People should make no mistake about it.

“On the issue of Biafra, it is well beyond the capacity of young men to resolve. Biafra is a collective dilemma of Ndigbo and it is not a child’s play.

“Biafra is not a child’s play. It requires mature and experienced handling. Children should stop playing with fire and children shouldn’t play with fire. Nnamdi Kanu is one of us. He is our son and he must listen to some of us because he’s one of us.”

The former ambassador of Nigeria to the United States of America, described the security situation in Igboland as a matter of concern and national emergency.

“The greatest affliction of man is insecurity. With insecurity, nothing happens. It is the greatest challenge facing Ndigbo in particular and Nigeria at large. However, we thank God that the South East governors themselves shared this feeling and have started taking steps particularly, about anti-open grazing ban; a great step which we believe is the right step to take towards handling security challenges in Igbo land.”

On restructuring, Obiozor charged the Igbo to pursue it with pride and dignity, saying that Nigeria must be restructured in order to reduce hostile tension among ethnic nationalities and move the country forward.

According to him, restructuring would address the issue of hostile contacts among Nigerians and reduce tensions.

On his part, Ndigbo Lagos President, Major General Obi Umahi, rtd, described the event as home coming for Ambassador Obiozor.

He however, urged him to collaborate with south eastern governors to give considerations and attention to three key areas which are: “security of Alaigbo, requiring an urgent need for state police; . restructuring of the country and president of Igbo extraction come 2023.

“Ndigbo are not asking for too much. They are only asking for equity and fairness in a country they have contributed so much to it’s development”, he stated.