Following the position and unanimous decision of the Southern Governors Forum on Anti-Open Grazing Law and the insistence that the President emerges from the region, at the meeting held yesterday in Lagos, Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has described the decision as bold and patriotic.
Governor Ortom said the position of the Southern Governors Forum to enact laws to ban open grazing of livestock in the region will bring an end to the lingering crisis caused by armed herdsmen.
The Governor also lauds his counterparts in Southern Nigeria for backing their May 11 Asaba declaration against open grazing with the resolve to legally prohibit nomadic cattle rearing; a resolution which conforms with the global best practice of animal husbandry.
In a Statement released to the Media and signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, he commended the Southern Governors Forum for their position on rotation of the Presidency between the north and south, beginning from 2023.
“Governor Ortom believes that only equity, fairness and justice can strengthen the unity of Nigeria, give all citizens a sense of belonging and reduce tensions across the country”.
He also re-echoed his call on the Federal Government to respect the 1999 Constitution (as amended) regarding fundamental human rights, the rule of law and federal character.
Restating his commitment to speaking out against injustice he quotess Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr who stated that, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
Governor Ortom reaffirmed his belief in Nigeria’s unity and expressed optimism that the country will overcome its current challenges and emerge stronger as a great Nation.
