IMPLEMENT CONFAB RESOLUTIONS.....SOUTHERN LEADERS

IMPLEMENT NATIONAL CONFAB RESOLUTIONS; GRAZING RESERVE BILL FAULTY........ SOUTHERN LEADERS INSISTS

The proposed Grazing Reserve Bill which is currently before National Assembly has been described as not only anachronistic and antiquated, but also an unfortunate elevation of what ought to be private commercial ventures, cannot be turned into a national or government business.

This was the position of the Southern Nigeria People’s Assembly, SNPA, in a statement it issued recently.

In the statement, leaders from the three South geo-political zones, which included 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, decried the raping and killing of innocent Nigerians by Fulani herdsmen.

It lamented the recent killings in Enugu State, Benue State and other parts of the country by the herdsmen, stating that the said grazing bill portends danger to the nation. The SNPA added it will institute a source of permanent conflict in the land especially the federal structure of the country and the 1999 Constitution which vest power to hold land on the 36 states of the country and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

The SNPA urged the President to deal decisively with the issue of Fulani herdsmen in the same manner government is dealing with the insurgency problem, stating that “if unchecked, it has the capacity to snowball into another Boko Haram”.

Accordingly, Mr. President should “consequently, set up a Judicial Panel of Inquiry to investigate all Fulani herdsmen attacks 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 SNPA leaders in the statement issued at the end of a three day meeting in Asaba, said that the inability of President Muhammadu Buhari to begin the implementation of the resolutions of the 2014 National Conference was objectionable.

"The resolutions if implemented, may help in resolving many political, socio-economic and security challenges of the country".

The SNPA called on Nigerians to support Buhari in his anti-corruption drive, war on insurgency and his effort at reviving ailing industries but however, urged President Buhari to respect the rule of law, the protection of citizens’ fundamental human rights and the pronouncements of the courts.

"The war on corruption should neither be vindictive nor selective, adding that selective justice amounts to injustice", the group advised. 

It also called for the immediate release of all Nigerians who were granted bail by the courts and have subsequently met their bail conditions but are still being detained.