*The Nigerian Senate chamber.
27 April 2016, Abuja — The Senate yesterday suspended the second reading of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, when senators of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, objected to it.
The bill to provide for the governance and institutional framework for the petroleum industry and other matters was sponsored by Senator Omotayo D. Alasoadura (APC, Ondo Central).
Our correspondent reports that while Alasoadura was leading the debate on the bill, opposition senators mostly from the South-south and South-east shouted: “No, no”.
When the murmuring persisted, the Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, raised a point order, demanding the suspension of the debate.
But in his response, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said: “I am sure in other to give them time to retrieve what was distributed on Thursday we would step it down so that they can go and get the document that was distributed. And also, we observed that the financial compendium is not there. So, please ensure that the bill that has been distributed on Thursday is brought and we will now put it before the next debate and Senator Alasoadura to ensure that the financial compendium is attached to the bill.”
*Ismail Mudashir – Daily Trust
