Edwin Clark
Leaders of the three geo-political zones in the southern part of the country has admonished President Muhammadu Buhari to deal with Fulani herdsmen like he is doing with Boko Haram insurgents.
The leaders, under the aegis of Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly, SNPA, made the call in a communiqué issued yesterday at the end of a three-day meeting in Asaba, Delta State.
The leaders said, “The President should deal decisively with the issue of Fulani herdsmen in the manner government is dealing with the insurgency which if unchecked has the capacity to snowball to another Boko Haram.
“Consequently, he should set up a Judicial Panel of Inquiry to investigate all Fulani herdsmen attack between May 2015 till date and all those found to be directly or remotely involved in those attacks should be arrested and brought to book.”
The meeting, which had in attendance former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, represented by former Anambra State Governor Chukuwuemeka Ezeife; Ijaw national leader, Chief Edwin Clark, represented by Senator Roland Owie; and Senator Femi Okorounmu who stood in for Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi, also decried the proposed grazing reserves bill, describing it as a permanent source of conflict across the country.
They explained that the bill portends danger to the nation as it will institute a source of permanent conflict especially the federal structure of the country and the 1999 Constitution which vests power to hold land on the 36 states of the country and the minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
The leaders urged Northern Elders Forum to stop confusing the present administration.
“The Northern Elders Forum should realize that President Muhammadu Buhari is the President of Nigeria and not the President of Northern Nigeria. the government is therefore for the entire Nigeria and programmes and projects should be for the overall development and growth of the country and not a section of it,” they stated.
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