Ondo State Governor and Atedo Peterside have faulted the comment by the attorney-general of the Federation, Abubakar Malami opposing the ban on open grazing. They have said such a view was deceptive.
Recall that the Southern Governors forum took the decision in the meeting in Asaba, the Delta State capital recently; they had complained that the movement of armed herders, bandits into the Southern region had constituted security breaches which had affected the everyday lives of the people.
Open grazing is the archaic practice of moving ruminant animals in open fields, plains and bushes in search of pasture or foliage, in recent time it had led to clashes between farmers and herders across Nigeria with thousands of lives lost, while thousands have also been displaced from their ancestral homes.
But speaking in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today Programme Wednesday, Malami, noted that such a decision would not stand because it violates Nigerians right to free movement, violating the provision of the law of the country.
However, in a tweet Thursday, Atedo noted that the constitutional right to movement of people does not correspond to the free movement of cattles and destruction of properties across the country.
“It is disingenuous to link a ban on open grazing to the constitutional right to the free movement of persons. The later does not extend to the free movement of cattle, goats, sheep etc through farms with the attendant destruction of somebody’s harvest,” Atedo said.
Akeredolu, who is the chairman of Southern Governors’ Forum, spoke in a statement he personally signed on Thursday, titled, ‘Our decision is irreversible and will be enforced’.
The Ondo Governor, urged the AGF to challenge the Southern Governor’s position on open grazing in court, stressing that Malami’s view on the issue was wicked considering the problems and damage of open grazing to Nigerians.
“I have just read the press statement credited to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Shehu Malami SAN on the resolution of the Southern Governors Forum to ban open grazing in their respective States.
“It is most unfortunate that the AGF is unable to distill issues as expected of a Senior Advocate. Nothing can be more disconcerting. This outburst should, ordinarily, not elicit response from reasonable people who know the distinction between a legitimate business that is not in any way injurious and a certain predilection for anarchy.
“Clinging to an anachronistic model of animal husbandry, which is evidently injurious to the harmonious relationship between the herders and the farmers as well as the local populace, is wicked and arrogant.
“Comparing this anachronism, which has led to loss of lives, farmlands and property, and engendered untold hardship on the host communities, with buying and selling of auto parts is not only strange. It, annoyingly, betrays a terrible mindset,”part of Akeredolu’s statement read.
