Open Grazing: Buhari Overrules Southern Governors Over Ban, Rubbishes Southwest Presidency Claim

According to President Mohammadu Buhari’s stance on the subject, the president and governors of southern states who just proclaimed the restriction of open grazing in their states may be heading for a major fight.

President Buhari stated his views on the Governor’s prohibition on open grazing during an exclusive interview on Arise Television on Thursday morning, saying that the nation will preserve open grazing, but that cows will be restricted to existing grazing routes.

The president, who stated that when he leaves office, he will return to his cows to keep himself occupied, stated that he had sought the gazette on grazing routes, which he claimed was operational previously, for effective execution.

Condemning the use of AK47 by headsmen, Buhari said the only weapon traditional herders carried aside their rod, was cutlass, which they use to cut obstructing woods and bushes while rearing their animals, insisting that, carrying guns by herders was not normal.

Asked exactly where his party had zoned the presidency in 2023 within the Southern part of the country, President Buhari said that would be decided by the party.

According to him, the party has adopted a bottom top system. This he said, will give members a sense of belonging, as the system would enable them have a say in where the Presidency is not eventually zoned to.

Defending the country’s decision to construct roads and railway lines to neighboring Niger Republic, Buhari said it was borne out of the fact that the country must maintain good relation with her neighbours.

Also,he said since Niger Republic now has crude oil, the most sensible thing to do is to make it easier for them to transport their product through Nigeria ports, instead of yielding that advantage to Benin Republic. This he opined, will be economically beneficial to Nigeria.