The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has warned members of the National Assembly, NASS, from northern Nigeria that they would be held responsible for any mass suffering arising from the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB.
The group also accused some members of NASS of forging ahead with the bill’s passage knowing that it only favours a section of the country at the detriment of the North.
According to CNG, if PIB is assent to by President Muhammadu Buhari, the north will secure a paltry 30% of the profit to be used for oil exploration in the region, while the south would get the lion share because of oil discovery in the region.
Addressing journalists on Monday, the spokesperson, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman added that the rights of tanker drivers, through their unions, will be neutralized by the activities of the new refinery.
The group observed that, “The continuation of the process may lead to the passage of the PIB as another clandestine move to further weaken the northern economy and therefore unacceptable.”
It also “Demand the immediate halt of the process for the PIB in its present construction as it would invariably impact negatively on the livelihood of northern communities especially those of the far northeast and northwest who would be forced to buy fuel at a disabling inflated price.”
The group “Warn all northern representatives in the National Assembly that they will be held responsible for the mass sufferings that the PIB will force on northerners if they allow it to pass.
He equally demanded “a comprehensive investigation into the alleged underhanded deals between the private operator of the refinery in Lagos and some members of the National Assembly to influence the success of the Bill which would hand the total monopoly of production, transportation, marketing and more dangerously, pricing of petroleum products.
“The attention of all segments of northern leadership and the credible section of northern elders and all civil society organisations in the North to rise to defend the people of the region by rejecting the PIB.
“The CNG will not hesitate to go to any length to challenge the passage of the Bill including taking legal action,” CNG stated.
