APC senators frustrate move to summon Buhari over Fuel scarcities

President can’t be summoned —Senate
We must reconsider PIB to stop scarcity —
Saraki
By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke
ABUJA—EFFORTS by senators of the
opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to
convince the Senate to summon President
Muhammadu Buhari to give reasons for the
ongoing fuel scarcity in the country, were
frustrated, yesterday,

by their counterparts in
the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
The PDP senators, who berated the President’s
handling of current economic situation in the
country, insisted that he be made to a appear
before the Senate to give explanations on the
cause of the fuel scarcity and how he intended
to solve the issue as Minister of Petroleum.
Fuel crisis
Their frustrated efforts came following a
motion, tagged:

“The current fuel scarcity all
around the country and the need to urgently
resolve the crisis,” sponsored by Senator
Jibrin Barau, APC, Kano North and 23 other
senators, which was debated upon.
Speaking through Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe,
PDP, Abia South, the opposition senators
accused the President of mismanaging the
country’s oil sector, causing untold hardship
for Nigerians, barely six months after being in
the saddle as president.
But the Senate, in a reaction to the
development, said the President could not be
summoned even as Minister of Petroleum.
The red chamber, reacting through its
chairman on Media and Publicity, Aliyu Sabi,
insisted that the fact that the President was
overseeing the Petroleum ministry as a
substantive minister, did not make him to be
easily summoned like other ministers.
Abaribe had, while contributing to the
motion, urged the Senate to summon
President Buhari to explain why the Federal
Government was yet to find solutions to the
continued fuel problem in spite of its claim
that the refineries in the country were
working.
He said the unnecessary hardship occasioned
by the scarcity could only be resolved if
lawmakers were adequately briefed on the
true state of affairs. Senator Abaribe‘s
submission received wide support from other
PDP senators, as they all hailed him.
Senator Abaribe supported his call with a
prayer for adoption but it was defeated when
the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, put it
up for a voice vote.
At this point, the APC Senators, who were
more in number, defeated their PDP
colleagues with overwhelming shout of “yes”
against the PDP’s “nay.”
President cannot be summoned —Senate
Earlier, in his motion, Senator Barau
regretted that Nigerians were going through
untold hardship following the lingering fuel
problem.
“We are worried that the scarcity is creating
an untold hardship to our citizens who have
to pay higher prices for these products
especially petrol. We are convinced that the
current situation is not in tune with the desire
of the progressively inclined government to
bring succour to Nigerians in all spheres of
their lives,” Senator Jibrin noted.
But at a briefing after the plenary session,
Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and
Publicity, Aliyu Sabi, explained why President
Buhari could not be summoned by the Senate.
He said as the Commander-in-Chief, it was
wrong to invite him to appear before the
Senate, despite the fact that he was the
Minister of Petroleum.
Senator Sabi said in the place of President
Buhari, the Minister of State for Petroleum
Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu would be
summoned to brief the Senate on plans put in
place by the Federal Government to end the
fuel scarcity.
Senator Gbenga Ashafa, APC, Lagos East,
while also contributing, called for the
approval of the supplementary budget which
he noted, contained the amount proposed for
payment of subsidy to the marketers. He
pleaded that the issue be treated with
uttermost urgency.
We must reconsider PIB to stop scarcity —
Saraki
Meanwhile, Senate President, Dr Bukola
Saraki, said the Senate must take the issue of
passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB)
seriously if scarcity of petroleum products
would end in the country.
Saraki stated this while commenting on a
motion seeking permanent solution to
recurring scarcity of petroleum products in
the country at Senate plenary.
He said with a law regulating the petroleum
industry, relevant institutions would function
effectively and urged senators not to politicize
issues relating to petroleum products
production and supply as they affected the
live of every Nigerian.
“Scarcity has continued to plague this country
and we must find a lasting solution to this
problem,” he said.
After debate on the motion moved by Sen.
Barau Jibrin (APC Kano North), the senate
directed its Committee on Petroleum Upstream
to proffer a lasting solution to the recurring
problem of scarcity of petroleum products.
The upper chamber sought means of
collaboration with the executive to end the
recurring fuel supply challenge.
It urged the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC) to continue its current
push to stem the scarcity, and commended
President Muhammadu Buhari for his
commitment in tackling issues in the sector.
Moving the motion earlier, Jibrin expressed
worry that scarcity, whenever it occurred,
brought untold hardship on Nigerians.
He said that problem was not in line with the
goals of the current administration and as
such, urged the senate to liaise with the
executive and other relevant stakeholders to
solve the problem.
In his contribution, Sen. Olugbenga Ashafa
(APC Lagos East) recommended stringent
punishment, including jail term for marketers
who hoard petroleum products.
He said that such marketers contributed in
making the lives of Nigerians more miserable,
adding that their stations should not just be
shut ‘’but they should be jailed”.
“Some marketers derive pleasure in hoarding
petroleum products; if we do not set example
with such people, the dastardly acts of
hoarding will continue.
“Our regulators must ensure that marketers
that are hoarding are not just clamped down
on but prosecuted.
“We must assist Mr President in reviving our
ailing refineries; if our refineries function
optimally, we will not have the problem of
scarcity,” he said.
On his part, Sen. Eyinnaya Abaribe,
specifically said that the “senior” minister of
petroleum resources should be summoned to
explain the problems with fuel supply.
The senator questioned why the country still
paid subsidies and experienced long queues
when the present administration had in their
campaign promised to end the problem.
“Many thought there will be no fuel queues
under the APC but we see it everywhere; we
are seeking the approval of over N400billion
for payment of subsidy.
“Change has come but there is no change
because we are still doing the same things; the
fuel queues are still here; the subsidy payment
is still there and there is no hope in sight.
“So we are asking, where is this change?
“We will ask the Minister of Petroleum to
come and tell this senate what the ministry is
doing to solve this problem.
“I support this motion, but I do not support
the part where we are thanking a minister for
not solving the problem,” he said.
Sen. Adamu Aliero (APC Kebbi Central) said
that the issue of deregulation must be
revisited if private investors must delve into
local refining of crude.
Sen. Dino Melaye (APC Kogi West) in his
contribution recalled that the cost of crude
has dropped from about 120 dollars per
barrel to about 40 dollars per barrel.
He pointed out that the subsidy being paid
was what was owed to oil marketers, and
urged that the issues should not be politicized.
In the meantime, the North East Development
Commission Bill sponsored by Sen. Ali Ndume
and Frivolous Petition Prohibition Bill
sponsored by Sen. Ibn Na’Allah passed first
reading at the Senate on Tuesday.
Also passed for first reading was the National
Youth Service Corps (amendment) Bill, 2015
sponsored by Sen Stella Odua Anambra North.