Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on Thursday, declared there was no going back on the ban on open grazing in the entire Southern Nigeria.
The governor spoke as he lampooned the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami over comments on the resolution of the Southern Governors Forum to ban open grazing in their respective States.
Malami was quoted to have said the ban on open grazing was akin to banning all spare parts dealers in the Northern parts of the country and therefore unconstitutional.
Governor Akeredolu in a statement he personally signed and issued in Akure, said it was ‘most unfortunate that the AGF is unable to distill issues as expected of a Senior Advocate’.
The Ondo Governor noted that Malami’s outburst should not have elicited a response from reasonable people who knew the distinction between a legitimate business that is not in any way injurious and a certain predilection for anarchy.
He said, “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 the 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.
“Mr. Malami is advised to approach the court to challenge the legality of the Laws of the respective States banning open grazing and decision of the Southern Governor Forum taken in the interest of their people. We shall be most willing to meet him in Court.
“The decision to ban open grazing stays. It will be enforced with vigour.”
