From John Adams, Minna

As reactions continue to greet the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) recently passed by the National Assembly, to allocate only three percent of the oil revenue to the host communities, Akwa Ibom state Governor, Emmanuel Udom has declared that the decision of the National Assembly is not binding on the Niger Delta people.

“As southern governors we have made our position known, but one thing is clear, the National Assembly may have passed their bill, they are doing their job and we also do our job as leaders of the people.”

The Governor who spoke to journalists in Minna on Saturday shortly after attending the speech and prize day of late former First Lady, Mrs. Maryam Babangida owned Al-Amin International School, Minna said that it was unfair to give the oil producing communities only three percent of the oil revenue despite the huge impart of the oil exploration in the area.

“Let us see how it goes because people don’t really understand the impart of the oil exploration and damage being done to the environment where our people can no longer farm, our fishermen can no longer earn a living because of oil spillages.

“People need to see the devastating effects of the oil exploration and the consequences on the lives of the people before someone will begins to think that the oil producing communities are asking for too much. The five percent we are asking for is not too much, we even deserved more than that but certainly not three percent, so that decision is not binding on us.”

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The governor maintained that what the National Assembly has done is a mere legislative function which they have performed, adding that “we will also perform our function as the leaders of our people. The communities too have their own function to perform, so everybody has it own function to perform.”

On the way forward for the current security security situation in the country, the Governor said only the People Democratic Party (PDP) government at the center can guarantee peace and stable economy in the country.

“Without bias, without sounding partisan, only the PDP that has the solution to the mirage of problems facing this country at the moment. Nigerians have tested the two and they now know the best.”

According to him, when PDP takes over the power at the center in 2023, the country will return back to the part of glory, adding “we in PDP are bridge builders, we will reunite Nigerians, we will build the economy of Nigeria”.

He pointed out that Nigeria was at the peak of her economic growth when the PDP was in power, but regretted that Nigeria economy today is nothing to write home about, stressing that Nigerians can barely eat three square meals a day.