SAMUEL OGIDAN; KINGSLEY BENNETH

The senator represent­ing Bayelsa West Sen­atorial District in the National Assembly, Seriake Dickson, has warned that the 3% set aside as host communities fund in the Pe­troleum Industry Bill (PIB) may create fresh crisis in the Niger Delta.

In a press conference on Thursday in Abuja, Senator Dickson lamented that 3% was not enough for host communi­ties, adding that the move by the Senate was “oppressive and insensitive, and does not take into account the yearn­ings of the people where the oil is produced.”

He disclosed that the move may threaten the peace of the region especially now that the Federal Government has not been able to restore normalcy in troubled parts of the North- East, North-West, North-Cen­tral and the South-East.

The former Bayelsa State governor said he left the cham­ber when the PIB was being considered to avoid his name appended to a document that did not consider the interest of the host communities.

The National Assembly passed the PIB providing for 3% yearly operational cost of oil companies to be paid in a dedicated account, Host Com­munities Development Trust Fund, which will be used for the development of the com­munities and also protect the pipelines.

But Dickson said President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua who initiated the bill proposed 10%, adding that with 3%, the desired peace in the region might not be achieved.

“As you know, I disagree completely with the 3%. The House passed 5%. This coun­try is not helping itself and not helping the investors. If the host communities are not happy, will the investors come?

“You are not dealing with one community. You are deal­ing with hundreds of com­munities. No one is engaging the communities, no one is explaining to the people. Peo­ple who think they have ma­jority votes have imposed 3% on the communities. Let’s not talk about signing the bill. It should be sent back for more consultation,” Dickson said while calling on President Muhammadu Buhari not to sign the bill.

“I believe that it is not too late. There is still room for im­provement. Should frontiers basis have 30%, you have the Gongola basin, Benue and others. It is good but for 5% to be denied the host com­munity, it is not healthy. The country is already facing a lot of insecurity challenges from Boko Haram, banditry, kidnapping and others. The Niger Delta seems to be the most peaceful region for now and if the PIB did not carry the people along, the govern­ment will spend money mobil­ising security agencies.

He also berated the red chamber for not considering the people in passing the PIB and the Electoral Act 2021 as amended.

This is as he called on Pres­ident Muhammadu Buhari not to sign it, noting that the bill is trying to undermine the powers and independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to Dickson, in the draft copy, they allowed INEC to transmit election results electronically adding, “We could not push it through and now you can see the attack on the Senate on this issue.

“While casting my vote for electronic transmission of re­sults, I said it was uncalled for, for INEC to be subjected under any agency.

“If Nigerians go to court, you know what the outcome will be because it is unconsti­tutional to subject INEC inde­pendence to another agency. There is still room, Nigerians should not lose hope. Since they want their votes to count and to be counted, I am sure the National Assembly will listen,” Dickson added.

Decrying what happened at the floor of the Senate con­cerning the two bills, Dickson said in a diverse country, rely­ing on the views of the majori­ty does not build a nation.

“Justice and protection of the weak and the few is what build a nation. That should inform our political leaders. Relying on number without justice, it is inimical to nation building,” Dickson added.

He said the inability of the red chamber to abide by the wishes of Nigerians made him to leave the venue of a dinner with Muhammadu Buhari.

“It was a terrible evening. When I saw the conference re­port providing 3% for the host communities, I left. The Senate President asked me to stay but I left,” Dickson added.