Politics

‘Nigerians should do soul searching, vote whoever their conscience picks’

The Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs to Chief Timipre Sylva, Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Julius Bokoru, in this interview with Ebiowei Lawal, bares his mind on the challenge of 2023 general election vis-a-vis the electorate.

The mandate of the Ministry Petroleum Resources is to formulate policies, supervise their implementation and regulate the Nigerian oil and gas industry, how much has your principal achieved since he assumed office?

Alot. One of the shiniest testaments to that and a genuine achievement of the Buhari administration is the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 into law. This has lulled for more than two decades, intermittently resurrecting and then sinking back beneath the radar again. It took courage from thepresident and the minister to take the bull by the horn this time. For their efforts we will see a leaner, but more effective petroleum sector. Less bureaucracy, more transparency, more sensitive and human industry and policies built specifically to attract more and foreign investors.

When you say we will see a leaner, but more effective petroleum sector, what do you mean?

Not bogus, just trim and efficient to carry out mandated duties. Under the PIA some parastatals including the DPR had to collapse into something else. So basically, the industry is more precise now than what it used to be.

Has the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration been able to create an enabling environment to improve the oil and gas value chain, as well as drive innovations in alternative energy?

Yes, of course, that is precisely what the PIA is about in terms of driving healthier value chain. For alternative energy, the industry is clinging to gas as transition fuel. There are deliberate steps to that especially in the formation of the National Gas Expansion Programme, NGEP, which is to maximise our gas capabilities and the accompanying LPG and CNG drives. This has been declared the Decade of Gas, coordinated efforts are in place to see that we fully harness our vast gas reserves, and gas, as we now know, is a cheaper, cleaner and fairly more efficient energy source. So its the alternative energy and our transition fuel.

Elections are by the corner. Do you see the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducting free, fair and credible elections under the watch of Buhari?

If I remember correctly, the last three governorship elections in the country has seen the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) pick two out of three, that is, Edo and Osun while the APC took Ekiti. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State also became governor under this dispensation. This tells alot, this tells that this is one of the most neutral, unbiased and uncompromised INEC we have seen in years. Of course, I am not their spokesperson and my views are expressly that of an observer and a stakeholder in the political process, but with what I can see so far I can tell that this INEC will most likely respect the wishes of Nigerians. There›s just too much at stake, I expect the best from them.

What is your advice to the electorate, now that campaigns have officially commenced?

Tolerance, respect and composure should be key for everyone. There are about three months in between now and the elections, though I apparently have a candidate already, I will advice Nigerians to critically study all candidates independent of media influences, peers or perhaps bandwagon effects. Nigerians should do some soul searching and vote whoever their conscience picks, afterall, we are in a democracy.

What is your assessment of the performance of the PDP led government in Bayelsa State?

This part gets me slightly emotional because Bayelsa State is also my state. To be candid the state has been on autopilot right from the inglorious days of governor Dickson to this Douye Diri administration which, in my estimation, is suffering from chronic identity crises. It is a loose, poorly coordinated government at loss with itself, in conflict with itself and looking set to be consumed by the ongoing civil war within its rank. There›s virtually nothing the prosperity government can boast of in nearly four years and Bayelsans cannot wait to reclaim and benefit from the Trust they placed in APC. The Senator Douye Diri government will be a one term government and somehow the officials there knows this fact hence the increased lacklustre, lackadaisical and listless approach towards governance.

But the three senatorial district roads are making tremendous amount of progress?

Can›t really say the progress has been tremendous. First of all they started too late, at the eve of the administration and such attempts are usually suspicious. Its left for us all to wait and see what ultimately becomes of it. It›s a good project and I›m sure an APC government will inherit, execute and commission it. The progress of work currently is not very encouraging.

When you say ongoing civil war within its rank, what do you mean?

The PDP in Bayelsa is in shambles. The other day a senatorial candidate was arrested for alleged certificate forgery, i understand that the prompting came from another serving Senator. The party has also stretched itself into the Accord Party in Bayelsa state and there are spontaneous social media skirmishes between supporters of the previous regime and this government.

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