ASPIRANTS to the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2019 will have a chance to marshal their plans and programmes for the oil and gas sector of the economy and convince the electorate of their capacity and readiness to ensure economic growth and development of the country.

Come Wednesday, September 26, 2018, OrderPaper Advocacy Initiative (OAI), will host the inaugural Development Dialogue Series (DDS) where aspirants across party lines will address industry experts, civil society leaders and the media on their understanding of the oil and gas industry and how they intend to turn the fortunes of the industry for the better. The high profile event will hold at the prestigious Eko Hotel in Lagos.

A statement by Oke Epia, Executive Director of OAI, said aspirants billed to attend the first in the series include Governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwambo, former Kano State governor and incumbent senator, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and Professor Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies, all of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Others are Tope Fasua of the Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ARNP), Fela Durotoye of the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), Professor Remi Sonaiya and Adeshina Fagbenro-Byron of KOWA party, Dr. Yunusa Tanko of the National Conscience Party (NCP); and Comrade Jaye Gaskia of the Sustainable National Party (SNP). Also expected are Baba Datti-Ahmed (PDP); Omoyele Sowore of the Africa Action Congress (AAC) and Professor Kingsley Moghalu of the Young Peoples Party (YPP).

The statement noted that the stalled sector reforms reflected by the non-assent to the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) has brought the issues of growth, development and sustainability of the economy into sharp focus, thereby making it expedient for aspirants to the office of president in 2019 to address Nigerians on the matter.

“The situation with the PIGB indicates the need for deep reflection, introspection and fresh perspectives on the fate of both the reforms contemplated by the PIGB and indeed the entire oil and gas industry of the country,” the statement noted

It added that “Given the impending general elections and the inevitable opportunities it provides to rethink, reconsider and offer options for national development, those aspiring for the office of President should convince Nigerians that they have sufficient understanding of the oil and gas sector and have clearly thought out ideas of how to make the enormous wealth of the country work for the overall benefit of citizens.”

The Development Dialogue Series (DDS) is a modest contribution of OrderPaper Advocacy Initiative conceived to draw attention to and deepen conversations around key development themes in the ongoing transition process.

OrderPaper Advocacy Initiative is a development think-tank intervening on policy-related issues, especially legislative engagements that expand the frontiers of good governance and the deepening of democratic practice in Nigeria.