The northern socio-political group, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has supported the resolve by the Southern Governor’s Forum (SFG) to ban open grazing and movement of cattle on foot across the 17 southern states.
Recall that the governors, had at their meeting in Asaba, Delata State, on Tuesday, May 11, banned open grazing and movement of cattle on foot.
The forum also advocated for the restructuring of the country and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to address Nigerians on matters affecting the country, among some other demands.
Commenting on the ban, spokesman for the ACF, Mr. Emmanuel Yaw said in an interview that the forum approved the decision adding that the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN had equally called for the establishment of ranches.
“There is nothing wrong with their call on the President to talk to Nigerians. As a politician he should jump at any opportunity to communicate with the electorate.
“On the issue of ban on open grazing, I don’t think there is problem here with the stand of the ACF.
“At our last national working committee meeting in Kaduna, the national leader of MACBAN spoke to us at length,” he said.
Yaw added that ACF had decided that the only way forward, and in the interest of MACABAN, was to ranch cattle.
“If MACABAN wants open grazing banned, not only in the southern part of Nigeria but all over Nigeria, who are we to say otherwise?
“On the issue of dialogue, the ACF has always believed in this if the aim of the dialogue is to promote the unity and progress of the whole country, our forum will hold dialogue with any state and group of people that share our cherished ideals of unity, justice, peace and progress,” he said.
On the call on the president to address the nation, Yaw said there was nothing wrong with the demand.
However, on the issue of restructuring, ACF contended that there should be a resolution on the country’s oneness before further discussion.
“On restructuring, the ACF believes that before we take a decision on this, we should agree on whether Nigeria should remain one country before deciding on what
“Our position on this is informed by the fact that some of the advocates of restructuring are at the same time advocating the dissolution of Nigeria. Are they believers in Nigeria at all? We must all agree to let Nigeria be, before we move forward,” he said.
Meanwhile, southern senators and members of the house of representatives commended the governors for the resolutions.
They also called on the president to address the nation and co
In a statement by the southern caucus in the house of representatives, the lawmakers called on the federal government to provide alternative and modern livestock management that does not constitute a security and economic challenge to the nation.
The statement was signed by the minority leader, Ndudi Elumelu; deputy majority leader, Peter Akpatason; deputy majority whip, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; deputy minority leader, Toby Okechukwu; deputy minority whip Adesegun Adekoya; Dolapo Badaru, Jimoh Ojugbele and Femi Fakeye, on behalf of the southern lawmakers in the house.
Similarly, the Southern Senators Forum applauded the governors in a statement jointly signed by the forum’s chairman, Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti); secretary general, Mathew Urhoghide (Edo) and publicity secretary, Chukwuka Utazi (Enugu) applauded the governors.
The statement was entitled ‘Insecurity: Southern senators commend and endorse the resolutions of the southern governors; urging them to work with the national assembly for optimal results.’
They lauded the governors for being emphatic on the issues of restructuring, state policing and the jettisoning of archaic traditional grazing methods, which, according to them “fall short of global best practice standard and a potential threat to our national cohesion and peace.”
“As insecurity continues to take a toll on the country and subjecting many to kidnapping and killing, the Southern Senators Forum has commended governors from the region for taking a firm position on burning national issues, including banning open grazing of cattle.
“The Senators submitted that such deft and unanimous policy would help in reining in those hiding under cattle grazing to unleash terror of kidnapping and killing on the residents of the region.”
They noted that the southern farmers were losing hundreds of millions of naira to plundering of food crops through encroachments on farmlands and exposing the region to famine and acute food scarcity.
“With this uniform resolve by our governors to initiate no-open grazing policy, the region will return to its peaceful and agriculturally self-sufficient status it had assumed even long before Nigeria’s amalgamation in 1914,” the SSF stated.
On restructuring, the lawmakers noted: “We salute the governors for ruminating on the expediency and the need for speedy restructuring of the highly lopsided Nigerian nation, saying this will also help to remove the venom that has permeated the land on account of alleged neglect of certain sections of the country.
“Finally, the Southern Senators’ Forum encourages the governors to swiftly follow up on their resolutions by immediately approaching the leadership of the national assembly.”
With Punch report
