In the wake of the approval of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the President of a lack of respect over the mandate.
The party stated this in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, on Tuesday in Abuja in reaction to the signing of the PIB into law by Buhari.
He expressed surprise that Buhari ignored the huge outcry by the majority of disenchanted Nigerians and signed the bill as passed by the National Assembly into law.
He noted that the signing of the law in spite of widespread public rejection amounted to “endorsement of imposition, lack of respect for the people and the tenets of democracy as a system of government’’.
Ologbondiyan added that signing the bill into law was not in the interest of oil-producing communities, particularly in the face of the challenges they faced as a result of oil exploration.
“Mr President could have returned the bill to the National Assembly with a request that it is made to address the demands of the oil producing communities.
“Our party fears that the new law cannot guarantee the desired stability and development in the oil and gas sector as well as respite in the Niger Delta region.
“The PDP calls on President Buhari to salvage the situation by immediately forwarding an amendment bill to the National Assembly to reflect the true wishes and aspirations of every segment of our nation,” he said.
