Akeredolu, Atedo Peterside knock Malami over comment on ban of open grazing

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, and Atedo Peterside, an entrepreneur and founder of Anap Business Jets, faulted the comment by the Attorney-general of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, opposing the ban on open grazing in the 17 Southern States.

Recall that the Southern Governors’ Forum took the decision to ban open grazing in the southern part of Nigeria during their recent meeting in Asaba, Delta State.

The governors had complained that the movement of armed herders and bandits into the southern region had constituted security breaches and continues to put lives at risk.

Open grazing is the archaic practice of moving animals about in open fields, plains and bushes in search of pasture or foliage. In recent times it has 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 on Wednesday, Malami noted that such a decision would not stand because it violates Nigerians’ right to free movement and also violates 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 cattle 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 the 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 caused by open grazing to Nigerians.

“I have just read the press statement credited to the Attorney-general of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami 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.