By IGONIKO ODUMA, Yenagoa

The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) on Saturday said it would not be taken aback if the rumour making the rounds that the leadership and members of the National Assembly allegedly got $10million bribe to pass the controversial Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) into law, turned out to be true.

The IYC stated that its position was based on the fact that the 9th Assembly under the leadership of Senate President Ahmed Lawan and House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila was bent on doing the bidding of President Muhammadu Buhari to the detriment of Nigerians.

The Council stated this in a statement issued by its National Spokesman, Ebilade Ekerefe, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on Saturday.

Ekerefe, however, vowed that the Council will treat federal lawmakers from the Niger Delta found to be involved in the bribery scandal as “infidels”.

The apex Ijaw youth organisation’s statement came on the heels of reports in some section of the media that a silent war is raging between the federal legislators and the principal officers of the 9th Assembly over the alleged $10m bribe for the speedy passage of the PIB.

The lawmakers are said to be angry after uncovering details of how the principal officers grossly shortchanged them in the sharing of the money to pass the new petroleum industry law despite the overwhelming opposition to the allocation of three per cent equity share to host communities.

Ekerefe said although the IYC had not verified the bribery scandal, any member of the National Assembly from the region that benefited from the largess would be viewed as a betrayer.

He restated the council’s earlier declaration that the president and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva were no longer welcome in the region because of the roles they played in the passage of the bill and the subsequent signing of it into law.

The statement read in part:

“We are yet to verify the authenticity of the alleged $10m bribery scandal to National Assembly members for the PIB to be passed. But if it’s true, I won’t be surprised because the current National Assembly under the supervision of Lawan and Femi is doing the bidding of President Muhammadu Buhari and not Nigerians.

“However, if we find out that any of the National Assembly members from the Niger Delta region is culpable of this alleged bribery scam, they’ll be treated like infidels.

“IYC is not planning any protest for the now. What we said is that President Buhari and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources should not come to the Niger Delta region for now because of the palpable anger of the people.

“But if they do, I can assure them that they will be greeted with boos and jeers. It will not be the first time such disgraceful treatment will be meted on leaders from this region, and that will be activated.” (Saturday Independent)

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