The senator representing Osun East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi, has described open grazing as an outdated form of cattle rearing that is causing security challenges in the southern states of Nigeria.
This is as he has come out openly to support the decision of the southern governors to ban open grazing in their states.
The Senator also called on the Northern governors to come out in favour of modern ranching as a profitable means of business which will enable the cattle ranchers to settle peacefully with other Nigerians.
Senator Fadahunsi stated this while answering questions on a radio current affairs programme in Osogbo on Friday.
The senator who openly condemned insecurity in the country hinted that the National Assembly too was opposed to it because it is an issue affecting everybody.
He urged Nigerians clamouring for restructuring to demand true federalism which entails that each state will be independent enough to contribute to the central government.
In his words, “the governors are virtually helpless. If it is federalism we are practising, the state will be powerful, the local governments and community system would work and every tribe will mix freely together.
“The agitation should be for true federalism to defeat the centralised system. If it is addressed, then restructuring would fall into place. Leaders would need to meet and fashion out a new constitution.
“The National Assembly should take it upon itself to remove all those clauses that has been causing disaffection among Nigerians especially revenue allocation.
“Forget about what individuals say. It is the leaders and the National Assembly that would come out to fine tune this restructuring that we are all talking about. We need to meet at a point to discuss these issues; the northern and southern governors, political leaders, House of Representatives members and Senators.
“If it is restructuring, it is the same group that will have to fine tune this restructuring.”
Senator Fadahunsi advocated for increased items on the residual list and the decrease of those on the exclusive list.
While addressing the issue of the opposition of the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan to the outcome of the southern governors meeting, Fadahunsi hinted that he was being careful not to conflagrate the situation adding that the Senate President was more interested in the unity of the country.
“The Senate President does not want Nigeria to divide under his tenure, but there must be a way of removing all those clauses that would not allow Nigeria to remain an entity.
“Everyone of us want one Nigeria but there must be ingredients of true federalism and each state must benefit.
“There is a lot to remove from this present constitution or even thrown out and that is what the National Assembly is currently doing through the Senator Obie Omo-Agege committee.
“Unity must be obtained at a cost; we must seat down as Nigerians and ask ourselves what we really want so that we can add in the constitution.”
The retired Assistant Comptroller General of Customs also noted that decentralisation of the police and digitisation of the electoral system are the most important add ups to true federalism.
DAILY POST had reported that the southern state governors of Nigeria had met in Asaba, the Delta State capital on Tuesday, 11th of May.
At the end of the crucial meeting, they resolved to ban open grazing in the entire region, calling for national dialogue, the evolution of state police, and the unity of Nigeria.
They also asked President Muhammadu Buhari to address the nation.
DAILY POST
