Governors from the 17 Southern states of the country will, today (Monday), in Lagos State, meet to further deliberate on the order given to Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami SAN, by President Muhammadu Buhari to recover all grazing routes for herders in the country.
It was gathered that the meeting, which would hold eight weeks after the governors met, in Asaba, the Delta State capital, would further assess decisions earlier taken by the governors on the open grazing ban, restructuring, fiscal federalism and the call for state police.
The governors would be hosted by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Aside from the host governor, others expected at the meeting are Governors Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State, and Willie Obiano of Anambra State.
Other governors expected sat the meeting include Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, Prof. Ben Ayade of Cross Rivers, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, David Umahi of Ebonyi State, Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom State, Douye Diri of Bayelsa State Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.
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Recall that the governors had, in a communiqué issued at the end of their meeting, in Asaba, banned open grazing as part of moves to address killings and kidnapping by herdsmen.
But a few days after the meeting, the Presidency faulted the ban on open grazing. Presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu had, in a statement stated that, “It is equally true that their (governors’) 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.”
Also, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami had slammed the southern governors for banning open grazing.
According to Malami, open grazing ban is the same thing as Northern governors banning spare parts trading in their own region considering the fact that southerners comprise a majority of spare parts traders in the North.
Also, President Buhari had, during a recorded television interview, in June, this year, also backed Malami’s position, adding that he had directed that grazing routes be recovered.
When asked if he agreed with the AGF’s position, President Buhari had responded, “You want me to contradict my Attorney-General?”
Explaining further, he said, “What I did was to ask him to go and dig the gazette of the First Republic when people were obeying laws.
“There were cattle routes and grazing areas. Cattle routes were for when they (herdsmen) are moving up country, north to south or east to west, they had to go through there.
“If you allow your cattle to stray into any farm, you are arrested. The farmer is invited to submit his claims.
“The khadi or the judge will say pay this amount and if you can’t the cattle is sold. And if there is any benefit, you are given and people were behaving themselves and in the grazing areas, they built dams, put windmills in some places there were even veterinary departments so that the herders are limited. Their route is known, their grazing area is known.
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“But I am telling you, this rushing to the centre (sic) so I asked for the gazette to make sure that those who encroached on these cattle routes and grazing areas will be dispossessed in law and try to bring some order back into the cattle grazing.”
Speaking on Sunday, a top source close to one of the governors said the southern governors were disturbed about President Buhari’s order on grazing routes, adding that they suspected a hidden agenda.
The source also said, “The governors will meet physically tomorrow (Monday), in Alausa, Lagos.
“All the 17 governors in Southern Nigeria will be present at the meeting. They will speak on some of the issues they raised in Asaba.”
Asked of the issues that would top agenda at the meeting, another source close to one the governors in the South-West, South-South and South-East said the governors would deliberate on the pronouncement of the President.
The source, who wished not to be named said, “They would discuss the issue of security and open grazing ban. They are going to focus on topical political issues.
“The governors will be deliberating on the recent order by the President that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, recover some lands for herdsmen to graze in the country. They believe it is an agenda to Fulanise the country.”
Also, one of the information managers to one of the governors in the region said, “The meeting will address killings in spite of the ban on open grazing. Aside from open grazing, restructuring, autonomy for judiciary will also be discussed.
“The Attorney-General of the Federation is not an Attorney-General of the Federal Government. He is an Attorney-General of the Federation behaving like the Attorney-General of the Federal Government.
“So, any case involving anybody with the Federal Government is a lost case because you have an attorney general of the federation behaving like the attorney general of the Federal Government.
“When the southern governors banned open grazing, the AGF declared the act as ‘illegal’. They didn’t react when he said that. That is how mature people behave. But tomorrow, the governors will take a position on the Federal Government’s reaction,” the source said. (PUNCH)
