PIB: NNPC GMD meets Reps Wednesday

The Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), will, on Wednesday, meet with members of the House of Representatives as part of efforts aimed at ensuring smooth passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), 2021.

The Speaker, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, announced the meeting during the plenary from the two weeks recess, which marked the beginning of the third year of the 9th Assembly.

In the same vein, the Speaker disclosed that the Southern Legislators are to meet at Lagos Hall, Transcorp Hilton by 4 pm.

Tribune Online gathered that the proposed meeting was aimed at harmonizing the position of the Southern lawmakers from the three geopolitical zone, namely South-South, South-East and South-West, respectively.

Recall that the Northern Caucus in the House of Representatives had after the retreat on the ‘PIB and future of Nigeria’ held on Monday expressed support for the passage of the PIB in its present form.

While the Senate President has assured on the consideration of the report on the PIB 2021, which was laid by the Senate Joint Committee on Petroleum (Downstream); Petroleum (Upstream) and Gas Resources on Thursday, the Speaker is billed to meet with members of the Special Petroleum Industry Bill Committee of the House by 3 pm today.

Also at the plenary, the Speaker also tasked members on the need to ensure that the Supplementary Budget and the PIB are passed before the commencement of the summer recess.

Meanwhile, there was a mild drama during the plenary as two lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Cross River State formally announced their defection to the All Progressive Congress (APC).

They are; Hon Idagbo Ochiglegor and Hon Michael Etaba.

In a swift reaction to the development, the Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Toby Okechukwu who raised a Point of Order on the defections argued that there is no faction in the States of the honourable members that defected, hence there was no justifiable reason for their defections.

To this end, he called on the affected members to vacate their seats as the PDP was the platform on which they came into the National Assembly.

However, in his ruling, the Speaker observed that the members who defected have the right to determine if there is a crisis in the party and that cannot be interpreted for them.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

FACT CHECK: Did UNICEF Say Blocking Children’s Access To Pornography Constitutes Human Rights’ Infringement?

CLAIM 1: A Twitter user claims UNICEF said any efforts to block children from accessing pornography might infringe their human rights.PIB: NNPC GMD meets Reps Wednesday

PIB: NNPC GMD meets Reps Wednesday