PIB will be transmitted shortly to President for assent after proper harmonization with Senate ― Gbajabiamila

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, on Thursday, assured Nigerians and the international community of the resolve of the House to transmit the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), 2021 to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent after proper harmonization with the Senators.

The Speaker gave the assurance while delivering the end of the plenary session remarks, few minutes after the House resolved to step down the consideration of the report of the joint Senate and House Harmonisation Committee on PIB.

He assured that on return, the House on resumption for the third legislative session will resume “with renewed vigour and a greater commitment to the service of the Nigerian people in whose name we assemble in this hallowed chamber, and on whose behalf, we carry out the work of the legislature.

“It has been a remarkable year of tragedy and triumph. We have lost members of this House – Friends and Colleagues who served with us, and whose memories we carry in our hearts every day. Across the country, we have seen an increased spate of violence that has claimed the lives and traumatised many.

“We mourn those of our citizens who have lost their lives, and we pray God’s grace and comfort for the families and loved ones they have left behind.

“Through it all, the 9th House of Representatives has carried on its constitutional duty to make laws for the good government of the country. After multiple failed attempts over two decades, the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) has passed both House of the National Assembly and will shortly be transmitted to the President after proper harmonization with the Senators.”

He also assured that the House will consider the report of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, and vote on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill that has been laid before us by the Committee, as part of the lawmakers continued efforts to improve our elections and ensure that democracy thrives in our country.

“The stage is set and the world is watching. I encourage all members to vote their conscience informed only by the best interest of the country and our people.

“It has been mentioned to me that landmark legislation such as the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill ought to have been considered using the electronic voting system in the House. While I agree with this suggestion, e-voting usually in most parts of the world is meant for single item pieces of legislation not 400 clause considerations, except on reports that contain limited number of clauses. As such, it is not ideal for this bill.

“Nonetheless, I take the point and we will make sure that the system is fully deployed in advance of our resumption.”

While speaking on the report of the Special Summit on National Security initiated by the House has been submitted to the President, adding that the Summit was aimed at seeking “solutions to the problem of insecurity in Nigeria.

“We have laid that same report before the House and have begun to implement the recommendations of the report that require legislative action.”

While giving update on the ongoing Constitutional amendment process, he disclosed that the House has “received submissions from across the country. We have conducted nationwide public hearings to seek the views of the Nigerian people so that the final product of the process reflects as much as is possible, the best expectations of our fellow citizens. As I have said before, this constitutional amendment process is unlike those that came before.

“This time, we seek nothing less than a wholesale review of the constitution with the express intention of crafting a document that reflects the democratic ideal, and at the same time resolves those foundational conflicts of our nationhood that hinder our march to progress.

“The current constitution of our Federal Republic reflects our past. We need a constitution that speaks to our present and makes a better future possible. And it is our commitment in this 9th House of Representatives to deliver such a constitution.

“This year there have been too many occasions when good faith efforts by the House of Representatives to address questions of law and regulation have been misconstrued as an attempt to perpetuate injustice against the people we serve. I am not unmindful of the fact that some of these reactions are a result of years of broken promises by politicians and the government.

“Yet, it is also evident that there are those who for profit and ambition, have devoted themselves to creating conflict, and engendering in our citizens the kind of cynicism that makes all constructive collaboration impossible.

“Fellow Nigerians, let us take care not to give ourselves over to those who try to exploit our legitimate grievances to create chaos and disaffection. We must not heed the call of those who propose no solutions but stand ever ready to cast aspersions and insinuate the worst motives of our action.

“Our problems are real, and the challenges we face are significant. Those problems will not be made less real, nor will we overcome our challenges, if rather than work together in the cause of nation-building, we stand in permanent opposition to one another – tribe against tribe, region against region, partisan against partisan.

“Citizens and leaders alike have choices to make about our future, about the country we want to live in and leave to the next generation. Some of such choices will be difficult, requiring us to make sacrifices and endure difficulties. Some other choices will sometimes cause us to disagree.

“We must decide at this moment in time whether we are prepared to learn from and call on the lessons of our history so that we may be inspired therefrom to rise once more in defence of our values, our interests, and the dignity of all our nation’s people. Let us work to re-establish in our country, the bonds of brotherhood that allow us to disagree but never to forget that in the end, through whatever may come, we are family, bound one to another, and we must look out for each other.”

While reflecting on the scourge of COVID-19, the Speaker lamented that: “Unfortunately, despite the valiant efforts of scientists who have discovered a vaccine, and notwithstanding efforts by governments and others, to make those vaccines available, Covid-19 has emerged with a new and deadly variant that threatens our world once more. We have already seen the devastation that this disease is capable of, and as such, we must not allow ourselves to be left to its mercy.

“It is time for us now to take the same precautions of personal hygiene and social interaction that we did last year when the pandemic was at its most potent. Let us take the opportunity of this recess to speak to our constituents and provide them with the tools they need to protect themselves against this deadly disease.

“As we come to the end of this legislative period, we recognise that where much has been done, there is still a lot left to do. We are aware that though much has been achieved, there remain many challenges that task us, that require of us that we work harder, collaborate better, and make the hard decisions that are required for progress and prosperity.

“While speaking on the House activities, Hon. Gbajabiamila directed that “all Committee assignments except finance working on MTEF and the Internal Security that will be working on the security on our premises, are suspended till resumption.”

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