Open Grazing Ban: Buhari’s Statement Against Southern Governors Provocative, Can Cause Breakup — Edwin Clark

*Says Nigeria Will Remain One Despite Challenges

Elder statesman Edwin Clark has described the statement credited
to President Muhammadu Buhari dismissing the ban on open grazing by
Southern governors in their respective states at their recent
meeting in Asaba, Delta State, as provocative.

Clark, who just turned 94, spoke to reporters after his birthday
celebration service in his Abuja home.

The elder statesman, who reiterated that he was against calls
for secession, urged President Buhari to withdraw the statement,
saying it is capable of triggering a national breakup.

Clark noted that the President has never hidden his interest in
championing the cause of Fulani herdsmen.

The elder statesman, reacting to Buhari’s statement on the ban
of open grazing by southern governments, said:

‘I didn’t want to comment on such issues that will make me speak
in a provocative way. However, I will advise Mr President. As I
said this morning, on Arise, he is the residents of Nigeria, he is
not the President of the North. We all voted for him and under the
Constitution, section two, I think, he has a duty to protect all
Nigerians and at the same time to provide for their welfare.

‘But a situation now where we have herdsmen carrying AK-47…
first of all, he said they were not Nigerians, that they were
coming from Tripoli after Gaddafi’s fall, he allowed them to come
in killing our people, they are in the South, they are everywhere,
they are even killing our people, including people in the North. I
do not understand.

‘I remember in those days… when he led a delegation to Ibadan to
meet the governor of Western Nigeria at that time, and told him
that the Westerners killed about 65 Fulanis whereas only about two
of them were really killed. And so, he has been promoting the
affairs of cattle herdsmen over the years, and he said is a farmer,
he has cattle ranch.

‘But being the President of Nigeria, it is very unfair and
provocative for him to say that what the 17 southern governors
declared was illegal or does not carry the weight of law. I think
that’s a very bad statement, uncharitable, very unfortunate.
Because, the constitution which his Attorney General is quoting
from time to time, provides only for freedom of human beings,
freedom of Nigerian citizens to move from place to place. Not
freedom of cattle or goats or sheep that they can come into your
house, they can do whatever think they like, no.

‘When I was young, over 80 years ago, we lived with the Fulani
herdsmen at home, nothing happened, we all lived together. But what
governors are saying is that herdsmen that carry guns, that rape
our women, kill our people, kidnap our people must leave, should
not be allowed. Open grazing is very archaic. These were the
practice 80 years ago in this country.

‘In all other parts of the world. like Malaysia, everywhere they
have changed. We now have modern ranching. So, that’s the
position.

‘Mr President’s statement is very uncalled for. And, as I said,
I remember the Vice President of Nigeria, who is the number two to
him, is the leader of the Economic Council that is provided for in
the Constitution. All governors are members, the Minister of
Finance is a member, the Attorney General is a member. They met
some time ago, I don’t know the date now, and passed a resolution
that open grazing is archaic, dangerous and should be set aside and
let us embrace ranching, modern ranching. The 19 governors of the
North also met and took similar decisions, particularly the
Governor of Kano State. He said that he has enough land for
ranching for all the herdsmen.

‘So, for him (Buhari) not to condemn any of those ones, for him
now to say for the first time, southern governors met he is
worried. When the 19 northern governors meet from time to time,
he’s not worried. He has never criticized them.

‘So, I appeal to him to withdraw that statement and make peace
with all Nigerians, we have no other country to go to. I do not
believe in secession. I do not believe in the breakup of Nigeria.
But these are huge issues that may break up this country. You can’t
force your will on people. The governors were elected in the same
way he was elected. And they are the chief security officers of
their state, they control the Land Use Act, which is embedded in
the Constitution.

‘The federal government cannot go to any state to acquire land.
So, if he issued such a statement what does it mean?…

*Says Nigeria Will Remain One Despite Challenges

Elder statesman Edwin Clark has described the statement credited
to President Muhammadu Buhari dismissing the ban on open grazing by
Southern governors in their respective states at their recent
meeting in Asaba, Delta State, as provocative.

Clark, who just turned 94, spoke to reporters after his birthday
celebration service in his Abuja home.

The elder statesman, who reiterated that he was against calls
for secession, urged President Buhari to withdraw the statement,
saying it is capable of triggering a national breakup.

Clark noted that the President has never hidden his interest in
championing the cause of Fulani herdsmen.

The elder statesman, reacting to Buhari’s statement on the ban
of open grazing by southern governments, said:

‘I didn’t want to comment on such issues that will make me speak
in a provocative way. However, I will advise Mr President. As I
said this morning, on Arise, he is the residents of Nigeria, he is
not the President of the North. We all voted for him and under the
Constitution, section two, I think, he has a duty to protect all
Nigerians and at the same time to provide for their welfare.

‘But a situation now where we have herdsmen carrying AK-47…
first of all, he said they were not Nigerians, that they were
coming from Tripoli after Gaddafi’s fall, he allowed them to come
in killing our people, they are in the South, they are everywhere,
they are even killing our people, including people in the North. I
do not understand.

‘I remember in those days… when he led a delegation to Ibadan to
meet the governor of Western Nigeria at that time, and told him
that the Westerners killed about 65 Fulanis whereas only about two
of them were really killed. And so, he has been promoting the
affairs of cattle herdsmen over the years, and he said is a farmer,
he has cattle ranch.

‘But being the President of Nigeria, it is very unfair and
provocative for him to say that what the 17 southern governors
declared was illegal or does not carry the weight of law. I think
that’s a very bad statement, uncharitable, very unfortunate.
Because, the constitution which his Attorney General is quoting
from time to time, provides only for freedom of human beings,
freedom of Nigerian citizens to move from place to place. Not
freedom of cattle or goats or sheep that they can come into your
house, they can do whatever think they like, no.

‘When I was young, over 80 years ago, we lived with the Fulani
herdsmen at home, nothing happened, we all lived together. But what
governors are saying is that herdsmen that carry guns, that rape
our women, kill our people, kidnap our people must leave, should
not be allowed. Open grazing is very archaic. These were the
practice 80 years ago in this country.

‘In all other parts of the world. like Malaysia, everywhere they
have changed. We now have modern ranching. So, that’s the
position.

‘Mr President’s statement is very uncalled for. And, as I said,
I remember the Vice President of Nigeria, who is the number two to
him, is the leader of the Economic Council that is provided for in
the Constitution. All governors are members, the Minister of
Finance is a member, the Attorney General is a member. They met
some time ago, I don’t know the date now, and passed a resolution
that open grazing is archaic, dangerous and should be set aside and
let us embrace ranching, modern ranching. The 19 governors of the
North also met and took similar decisions, particularly the
Governor of Kano State. He said that he has enough land for
ranching for all the herdsmen.

‘So, for him (Buhari) not to condemn any of those ones, for him
now to say for the first time, southern governors met he is
worried. When the 19 northern governors meet from time to time,
he’s not worried. He has never criticized them.

‘So, I appeal to him to withdraw that statement and make peace
with all Nigerians, we have no other country to go to. I do not
believe in secession. I do not believe in the breakup of Nigeria.
But these are huge issues that may break up this country. You can’t
force your will on people. The governors were elected in the same
way he was elected. And they are the chief security officers of
their state, they control the Land Use Act, which is embedded in
the Constitution.

‘The federal government cannot go to any state to acquire land.
So, if he issued such a statement what does it mean?…