Buhari rejects Southern governors’ forum on ban open grazing

Emmanuel AmudaMay 24, 2021

0 2 minutes read

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, rejected the resolution of the Southern Governors forum for banning on open grazing in the region, accusing the governors of playing politics to demonstrate their power.

Buhari said that the southern governors did not offer any solution to the farmers/ herders crisis, which has bedevilled the nation for decades.

Mr President declared that the southern governors’ stance has questionable constitutional legality given the right of citizens to enjoy the same rights and freedom as everyone else in all the states of the federation.

The Southern Governors had at a meeting in Asaba two weeks ago, banned open grazing and asked the President Muhammadu Buhari, to address the nation over the increasing rate of insecurity in the country.

Recall that the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, had recently condemned the resolution of the Southern Governors, saying the governors have no moral justification to ban open grazing.

But Mr President on Monday expressed a strong resolve to address the conflicts of herders and farmers for a permanent solution.

The Nigerian leader also ordered that the associated problem of the gun-wielding “killer herdsmen” be tackled.

Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, in a statement recalled Buhari approved measures to bring an end to the skirmishes as recommended by Sabo Nanono, the Minister of Agriculture, in April.

The presidency insisted that Buhari’s action was before the ban on open grazing by the Southern Governors Forum.

The statement noted it is very clear that there was no solution offered from the governors’ resolutions to the herder-farmer clashes “that have been continuing in our country for generations”.

Garba said the citizens of the southern states and others have a right to expect their elected leaders and representatives to find answers to challenges of governance and right.

“It is equally true that their announcement is of questionable legality, given the Constitutional right of all Nigerians to enjoy the same rights and freedoms within every one of our 36 states (and FCT) – regardless of the state of their birth or residence.”

Shehu said the governors’ declaration has been preempted, “for whatever it is intended to achieve”.

He noted that the President has rightly been worried about these problems more than any other citizen in consultation with farmers and herders alike.

Shehu said Buhari commissioned and approved an actionable plan of rehabilitating grazing reserves in the states, starting with those that are truly committed to the solution and compliant with stated requirements.

The aide added that the government is making far-reaching and practical changes allowing for different communities to co-exist side-by-side: supporting farmers to till their fields, herders to rear their livestock and Nigerians everywhere to be safe.