Knocks For Presidency Over Comments On Ban Of Open Grazing

By Alao Abiodun

A statement by the presidency tackling the southern governors’ proposed plan to enforce the ban on open grazing has elicited a flurry of reactions.

The presidency’s position was contained in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu.

According to the presidency, the southern governors’ proposed plan to enforce the ban on open grazing is of “questionable legality” adding that the resolution reached in Asaba will not solve the farmer-herder clashes.

Inkling into the president’s mindset came to light last week when the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, compared selling of spare parts in the North to open grazing of cattle in Southern Nigeria.

His position drew the ire of Southern governors, senior lawyers, many Nigerians and other socio-political organizations.

The Nation reports that the 17 Southern governors on May 11, jointly decided to enforce the ban on open grazing. They called on the Federal Government to fund the Livestock Transformation Programme.

They also took other decisions including calling for a national dialogue and restructuring of the country to pave the way for state police and a review of the revenue formula.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum endorsed the Southern governors’ decision.

Members of the House of Representatives from the 17 states in Southern Nigeria; Members of the minority caucus in the House of Representatives from the 19 northern states; Southern Senators Forum; former Jigawa State Governor Saminu Turaki, Raymond Dokpesi, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) all endorsed the Southern governors’ decision.

On Sunday after a meeting in Lagos, All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders in the Southwest endorsed the position of the Southern governors on restructuring and open grazing.

But Monday’s statement by the Presidency, accused the governors of playing politics with serious security issues while attempting to show power.

Reacting, the Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, faulted the Presidency.

He stated, “They said act of politicking and so what? If they want to call it politics, it is nothing to us.”

Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Olisa Ifeajika, he said nothing was wrong in the southern governors demonstrating their executive power.

Also, Former Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili in her own reaction said “All that our Southern Governors need say to the latest statement from the @NGRPresident is: “We stand by our position and are in fact already at the planning phase of our decision for execution.” After all, Brevity is the soul of Business.”

An ex-aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri said, “I wish the way and manner General @MBuhari is attacking Southern Governors for banning Open Grazing is the same way he attacks killer herdsmen and bandits for killing and abducting Nigerians. If he was this forceful against them, that menace would have been history”

Another commentator, FS Yusuf “Southern Governors didn’t ban grazing; they only banned open grazing. Get a land and rear your cattle – Farmers in the South wants to progress also. The farm is to the farmer what the cow is to a herder. This is simple, except you have an agenda.”

Rotimi Ajala argued, “Why is the presidency uneasy that southern governors banned open grazing? They didn’t ban the free movement of people anyway. They’re simply saying put more structure to cow business so it’s not a headache to farmers but rather mutually beneficial.”

Ladejo Oyebola in his reaction, wondered “Why is it that whenever the federal government want to pass a message to the people, its always presidency says not the president say? Who are these people that make up the presidency? Who are these people deciding for us? Is Buhari functioning?’

Emeka Nnadozie posited, “If the presidency insists on open grazing, it means they want the killings and destruction of farmlands by Fulani herdsmen to continue.

“Why are these people reluctant to do what is right and expedient to end the perennial herder-farmer clashes in Nigeria? I’m baffled”

Ahmed Tijjani said “Although the outright ban of open grazing by the Southern governors is borne out of necessity and a need to take action against the activities of criminal elements among the Fulanis who are known herders. They should focus more on solutions to preventing farmer-herder conflicts.”

“There are responsibilities states must take. Too much of decision making from the central is part of our problem. The presidency must respect the action taken by the southern governors. If cows aren’t roaming about on another person’s farmland, there will be no conflict,” Abdulrasheed Adeniyi said.

– The Nation