Abuja- The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), when passed by the National Assembly and assented to by the president, would address perceived anomalies in the oil sector.
Dr Kachi Ononuju, a chieftain of the party, stated this at the Nigerian Political Parties Debate on Thursday in Abuja, organised by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), Abuja.
Ononuju said that for the country‘s petroleum sector to get it right, it must be privatised, adding that the PDP-led government would ensure that.
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He, however, stressed that the passage of the bill was being stalled because of emotions based on regional sentiments.
“My party‘s intention is to work to break that emotional logjam and give Nigerians a free hand to operate the sector.’’
He added that the PDP would ensure a workable PIB that would be beneficial to Nigerians and bring the best to the country.
He, however, stressed that unless the oil sector was left to private individuals to manage, the perceived corruption in the sector would persist.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the debate, which was the second in the series, was focused on the Nigerian natural resources and its management.
The chieftain added that PDP as a party would continue to reform the civil service by checking corrupt practices.
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He said that though the Federal Government still had some challenges in oil and gas sector, it was working hard to reduce cost of governance and budgetary allocation at all levels of governance.
The APC spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on the other hand, said that if the party was elected into the presidency, it would ensure the full participation of Nigerians in discussions concerning the oil and gas sector.
This, he said, the party would do, using the National Assembly platform.
According to him, the corruption in the oil sector is retarding its progress, adding the party will unbundle the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
He added if given the mandate, APC would establish an Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority to supervise its activities.
According to him, the planned unbundling of the corporation will help to checkmate corruption, ensure transparency and the accountability in the oil sector and particularly in the NNPC.
“Within the first 12 months of our stay in office, we will ensure the passage of the PIB law and unbundle the NNPC and the petroleum industry.
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“When we get to government, we will get the original copy of the PIB and present it to the National Assemble for passage.
“If within four years in office, we do not implement this, give us a red card,’’ he said.
Mohammed added that the party would establish modern oil refineries to increase the flow of oil and gas product to domestic consumers.
He also promised that his party would use market mechanism to shift gas supply toward domestic production and introduce strong local content institutions.
On public administration, the APC spokesman said the party would evolve a code of conduct that would reward hard working personnel and punish unserious ones.
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He further said that to address issues of corruption among political office holders, the APC would end immunity clause concerning all serving political officers and let those with corrupt tendency face prosecution.
The APC image maker added that the party would tackle all forms of discrimination against women and establish Women and Gender Ministry to handle women affairs (NAN).
