Governors Cannot Ban Open Grazing In Southern Region — AGF Malami

*Says Banning Open Grazing Is Like Banning Sale Of Spare
Parts
*Says Returned £4.2m Loot: I Don’t See Nigeria Deviating From The
Agreement Signed

Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation, says the
resolve to ban open grazing by southern governors is equivalent to
prohibiting spare parts trading in the north.

Last Tuesday, southern governors resolved to ban open grazing
and the movement of cattle by foot, after a meeting in Asaba, Delta
state.

The resolutions of the southern governors have been greeted with
mixed reactions from different parts of the country.

Speaking on the development on Wednesday in an interview on
Channels Television, Malami faulted the decision of the southern
governors, saying it does not align with the provisions of the
constitution.

He said, “It’s about constitutionality. Within the context of
the freedoms enshrined in our constitution, can you deny a right of
a Nigerian?

“For example, it’s as good as saying the northern governors
coming together to say they forbid spare parts trading in the
north. Does it hold water?”

The AGF said the announcement by the southern governors does not
hold water, and that they should seek to amend the constitution
instead.

The minister said the governors must approach the National
Assembly and get the necessary support to amend the constitution
before they can take such a huge action on constitutionally-backed
liberties.

“It is indeed a dangerous position for any governor in Nigeria
to think that he can bring about any compromise to the freedom and
liberty of individuals to move around,” he said.

Malami also poured scorn on the calls by governors for the
restructuring of the country, an exercise expected to devolve a lot
of powers from the Federal Government to the subnational
governments.

The AGF said the governors need to put their own houses in order
first, and ensure the functionality of the local government system
which he accused them of suppressing despite being a tier of
government itself.

The southern governors had last week said Nigeria’s progress
requires urgent and bold steps to restructure the country to
practice true federalism.

They demanded state police, a review of revenue allocation
formula, and creation of other institutions to give more power to
sub-national governments.

Malami, Also reiterated that the Federal Government has
concluded plans on projects the repatriated £4.2million loot would
be used for.

The Justice Minister explained that international commitment
between the United Kingdom and Nigeria has been made on how the
fund would be spent.

According to Malami: “International commitment has been given by
Nigeria to the United Kingdom as it relates to the process of
engagement, inbuilt transparency and accountability associated with
the process. The way international processes operate with
particular regard to recovering of looted assets is more honest
among the nations of interest.

“Between Nigeria and the UK, it is a process that does not allow
the application of hook, line, and sinker of the Nigerian law
exclusively but is a process that factors mutual consideration
among the party of interest and that mutual engagement gave rise to
what we had as an agreement signed by Nigeria and the UK.

“There is an understanding that key project existing in the
State; Abuja-Kano highway, Lagos-Ibadan expressway, and the 2nd
Niger bridge should be considered for the purpose of the deployment
of the resources with a view to ensure that key infrastructural
development projects that affect the entire nation be the utmost
beneficiary of these funds”.

Asked on reconsidering Delta State, he said: “The recovery is a
function of mutual agreement. And mutual agreement as agreed
between two nations.

So is not agreement exclusively within the powers of the federal
government to revisit without recourse to the United Kingdom from
which country the funds were recovered against the background of
the sanctity of an agreement.

It is difficult with the limitation of the sanctity of an
agreement within the limited consideration of international
diplomacy to bring in new consideration after the old process has
been consummated.

As it is, the issue that bothers on £4.2million has been signed,
sealed, delivered and Nigeria does not stand to revisit the same
after the repatriation.” Malami maintained.

*Says Banning Open Grazing Is Like Banning Sale Of Spare
Parts
*Says Returned £4.2m Loot: I Don’t See Nigeria Deviating From The
Agreement Signed

Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation, says the
resolve to ban open grazing by southern governors is equivalent to
prohibiting spare parts trading in the north.

Last Tuesday, southern governors resolved to ban open grazing
and the movement of cattle by foot, after a meeting in Asaba, Delta
state.

The resolutions of the southern governors have been greeted with
mixed reactions from different parts of the country.

Speaking on the development on Wednesday in an interview on
Channels Television, Malami faulted the decision of the southern
governors, saying it does not align with the provisions of the
constitution.

He said, “It’s about constitutionality. Within the context of
the freedoms enshrined in our constitution, can you deny a right of
a Nigerian?

“For example, it’s as good as saying the northern governors
coming together to say they forbid spare parts trading in the
north. Does it hold water?”

The AGF said the announcement by the southern governors does not
hold water, and that they should seek to amend the constitution
instead.

The minister said the governors must approach the National
Assembly and get the necessary support to amend the constitution
before they can take such a huge action on constitutionally-backed
liberties.

“It is indeed a dangerous position for any governor in Nigeria
to think that he can bring about any compromise to the freedom and
liberty of individuals to move around,” he said.

Malami also poured scorn on the calls by governors for the
restructuring of the country, an exercise expected to devolve a lot
of powers from the Federal Government to the subnational
governments.

The AGF said the governors need to put their own houses in order
first, and ensure the functionality of the local government system
which he accused them of suppressing despite being a tier of
government itself.

The southern governors had last week said Nigeria’s progress
requires urgent and bold steps to restructure the country to
practice true federalism.

They demanded state police, a review of revenue allocation
formula, and creation of other institutions to give more power to
sub-national governments.

Malami, Also reiterated that the Federal Government has
concluded plans on projects the repatriated £4.2million loot would
be used for.

The Justice Minister explained that international commitment
between the United Kingdom and Nigeria has been made on how the
fund would be spent.

According to Malami: “International commitment has been given by
Nigeria to the United Kingdom as it relates to the process of
engagement, inbuilt transparency and accountability associated with
the process. The way international processes operate with
particular regard to recovering of looted assets is more honest
among the nations of interest.

“Between Nigeria and the UK, it is a process that does not allow
the application of hook, line, and sinker of the Nigerian law
exclusively but is a process that factors mutual consideration
among the party of interest and that mutual engagement gave rise to
what we had as an agreement signed by Nigeria and the UK.

“There is an understanding that key project existing in the
State; Abuja-Kano highway, Lagos-Ibadan expressway, and the 2nd
Niger bridge should be considered for the purpose of the deployment
of the resources with a view to ensure that key infrastructural
development projects that affect the entire nation be the utmost
beneficiary of these funds”.

Asked on reconsidering Delta State, he said: “The recovery is a
function of mutual agreement. And mutual agreement as agreed
between two nations.

So is not agreement exclusively within the powers of the federal
government to revisit without recourse to the United Kingdom from
which country the funds were recovered against the background of
the sanctity of an agreement.

It is difficult with the limitation of the sanctity of an
agreement within the limited consideration of international
diplomacy to bring in new consideration after the old process has
been consummated.

As it is, the issue that bothers on £4.2million has been signed,
sealed, delivered and Nigeria does not stand to revisit the same
after the repatriation.” Malami maintained.