Leader of the Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Reuben Fasoranti has described the Grazing Commission Bill proposed by the National Assembly to address the incessant crisis between farmers and Fulani herdsmen across the country as “anti-people.”
Addressing newsmen in Akure, the Ondo State capital, Fasoranti stated the bill which empowered the commission to acquire any land anywhere in the country, if enacted would violate the Land Use Act and traditional means of land holding.
Fasoranti alleged that the proposed bill was being sponsored to favour the business of the Fulani herdsmen at the expense of the farmers whose farms were being destroyed.
“We reject any law that would rob the citizens of their possessions and award to another set of citizens as this offensive bill attempts to do. That is against the principle of natural justice, ”
“It is also against federal principle for the government of the federation to therefore want to violate the rights of other sections of the country to please a group from an ethnic unit over and above the interest of other over 400 ethnic groups.”
Fasoranti while calling on all federal lawmakers from the south and Nigerians in general to join Afenifere in rejecting the bill, declared that the group would not keep quiet until true federalism takes root in the country
He said, “We stand with the decision of the of the 2014 National Conference which recommended the scrapping of grazing route for the establishment of ranches.”
Noting that the system of roaming animals all over the country was no more acceptable, Fasoranti admonished President Muhammadu Buhari to embrace the ranching system in order to put an end to the persistent dispute between farmers and Fulani herdsmen across the country.
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