SUBSIDY: PAN BLASTS SENATE FOR 'SITTING ON THE FENCE'

Lagos-Opposition political parties in Nigeria, under the aegis of Patriotic Alliance of Nigeria, PAN, yesterday, expressed unhappi-ness at the Senate for 'sitting on the fence during the nation's time of distress.'

National Coordinator of PAN, Chief Maxi Okwu, said in Lagos: 'Senate has not done well for the nation.'

PAN's statement came on the heels of an emergency plenary by the House of Representatives to discuss the fuel subsidy removal. The legislators said the nation could not bear the full deregulation of the downstream sector of the oil industry for now and asked the Federal Government to revert to the N65 pre-January 1 pump price of petrol and to continue dialogue on the matter.

Okwu said: 'House of Representatives' approach is a statesman's approach. Nigeria is in distress and the Senate should have been as proactive.'

He said apart from the strike, the issue of confirming the state of emergency declared by President Jonathan in some areas in northern states was another reason the Senate should have reconvened.