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Buhari not against open grazing ban – Garba Shehu
President Muhammadu Buhari is in agreement with the ban on open grazing of cattle announced by southern governors in Asaba, Delta State, but against their implementation strategies, the Presidency has said.
It stated that his recent view on the resolutions of the governors on open grazing was misconstrued.
Spokesman for the President, Garba Shehu, said it was wrong to misinterpret his remarks as an endorsement of open grazing by the President.
The governors, through their chairman and Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, berated the presidential spokesman, branding him an agent provocateur.
Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, and some senior lawyers, also faulted Buhari’s opposition to the open grazing ban.
But Shehu, who in the Presidency statement questioned the legality of the southern governors’ resolutions, appeared on Arise TV on Tuesday night, said his views were misconstrued.
Shehu said, “The president wants to see an end to open grazing; he wants to see ranching; but he wants it in a way that’s organised and he has a plan for it and the plan will take off in June.”
He said the attacks on the President were from people who are in the mood for a public fight, saying the states meeting the minimum requirements would be encouraged to embark on ranching.
According to him, those opposed to ranching will change their minds when it becomes fully functional.
Shehu said the president viewed open grazing as old-fashioned and was looking forward to a replacement for the medieval practice.
He reiterated that banning open grazing without an alternative cannot be a good approach to the issue, stating the President was worried about the crisis generated by the matter.
Admitting that the ranks of the nomads had been infiltrated by people bearing AK-47 rifles to kill and maim, Shehu called for calm as the issue won’t be solved by public show of strength.
He said, “Let us stop this shadow boxing. You just brought one or two people here who said things that nobody said from our own end. Did the President say he didn’t support? He’s opposed to the way the governors have chosen to do it.”
On state policing, Shehu shared the President concern on how the governors, who could not pay workers’ salaries, will fund state police.
“If it is what Nigerians want, the president would have no option but to support it,” he said.
The Presidential spokesman added, “You hire a policeman. Give him a gun and for one year, you don’t pay salaries, like you are doing to your teachers, that’s a problem,” Shehu stated.
He said that to implement state policing would require amending the 1999 Constitution, adding that Buhari had never rejected constitution amendments.
On restructuring, he stated that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was not opposed to devolution of power, adding that it was up to the legislature to do what is necessary.
News
Don’t fuel Rivers crisis, Edwin Clark tells APC, PDP
Don’t fuel Rivers crisis, Edwin Clark tells APC, PDP
Edwin Clark, the leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), has leveled accusations against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, alleging that he is sowing discord against Governor Sim Fubara of Rivers State.
Clark has accused Wike of engaging in political chaos akin to “dancing naked in the open market” within Rivers State politics.
In a letter dated May 20, 2024, addressed to the chairmen of both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC), Clark expressed his concerns. He stated, “As a patriotic old statesman, I strongly believe that I should address this letter to you to call to order FCT Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike, because he is dancing naked in the open market in the politics of madness in Rivers State with one leg each in the two parties.”
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Clark highlighted Wike’s alleged control over both the PDP and APC in the state, urging action to prevent further political turmoil. He emphasized the importance of stability in Rivers State, a significant contributor to the nation’s economy due to its oil resources and the presence of International Oil Companies (IOCs) and the Onne deep seaport.
He further admonished, “I strongly advise both of you to withdraw from the madness of politics of Rivers State to avoid the dangerous crisis facing Rivers State, one of the most important states producing the resources used to sustain the economy of this country.”
Clark urged against allowing an individual to disrupt governance and incite confusion, particularly targeting Governor Fubara. He questioned the Federal Government and the political parties’ inaction in the face of such disruption, emphasizing the need to uphold democratic processes and stability.
Don’t fuel Rivers crisis, Edwin Clark tells APC, PDP
News
Insecurity: How to make state police effective, by Senate leader
Insecurity: How to make state police effective, by Senate leader
Senate leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has said that the establishment of state police will go a long way to addressing the insecurity across the country.
Bamidele, who stated this in Abuja on Monday in a statement issued by his media office described the current state of policing in Nigeria as “ailing and dysfunctional.”
The statement read in part, “We must admit that the system can no longer guarantee the dignity of human lives and the security of collective assets considering our security dynamics in the Fourth Republic.
“The proposal for the creation of state police has been a subject of intense debate in the last decade or more.
“This, in part, can be attributed to the rise of armed attacks orchestrated by diverse interests either pursuing divisive agendas or seeking predatory ends in virtually all geopolitical zones,” he said.
He noted that Nigeria, one of the world’s fastest-growing nations in terms of population, could not continue to operate a centralised policing system.
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“Such a policing model cannot meaningfully address existential threats to our internal cohesion and stability. Unlike in 1979, when we had a population of 70.75 million, Nigeria is now a federation of about 229 million people and is currently the world’s sixth-biggest country.
“This is as shown in the demographic data of the United Nations. Contrarily, as revealed in the recent presentation of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, Nigeria has a police-citizen ratio of one to 650.
“This ratio is a far cry from a ratio of one to 460, which, according to the United Nations, is a minimum requirement for every sovereign state or territory worldwide,” the Senate leader said.
The lawmaker further noted that the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution would allow stakeholders to interrogate the nation’s security framework and take a position on the desirability or otherwise of state police in the country.
“We must go about it (state police) with a clear sense of self-realisation. We must, first and foremost, realise that the present police system is ailing and dysfunctional.
“We must also admit that the system can no longer guarantee the dignity of human lives or the security of collective assets.
“With this admission, it is evident that the option of adopting state police is no doubt inevitable as an antidote to the diverse security challenges that threaten us as a federation,” he said.
The Senate leader further said that as the debate for a more efficient police model continued, the National Assembly was under obligation to provide a legal framework with clearly defined preconditions.
“Sub-national governments must conform to the preconditions before establishing their policing formation. The role of all 36 state Houses of Assembly is equally indispensable in the quest to adopt the decentralised police system,” he said.
The bill for the establishment of the state police is currently in the National Assembly. In February, the House of Representatives passed the bill for the second reading.
The bill, sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Kalu and 14 others, seeks to alter the relevant Sections of the 1999 Constitution to pave the way for states to establish their policing outfits.
Insecurity: How to make state police effective, by Senate leader
Punch
News
CBN in U-turn withdraws cybersecurity levy
CBN in U-turn withdraws cybersecurity levy
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has withdrawn the circular it issued to all commercial banks on May 6, 2024, directing them to implement a compulsory withdrawal of 0.05 per cent from every electronic transaction as cybersecurity levy.
The controversial directive for collection of the levy had attracted nationwide condemnation when the central bank introduced the policy last week, prompting the Presidency to immediately suspend the implementation of the Cybersecurity Levy.
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In a withdrawal circular that was issued by the CBN on Sunday night, it directed the banks not to go ahead with the initial directive, in line with the presidential directive. The apex bank authorities claimed it’s a sign that the present administration was a listening one that prioritises public good.
“Further to this, please be advised that the above referenced circular is hereby withdrawn,” CBN director in charge of payments system, Chibuzo Efobi, and the director, financial policy and regulation, Haruna Mustapha, said in the circular, adding that all banks should “Please be guided accordingly.”
CBN in U-turn withdraws cybersecurity levy
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