Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential contender for the 2023 election, kicked against the open grazing restriction and ranches creation law approved in various states throughout the country on January 31, 2019.
Atiku stated the legislation was illegal and infringed on the rights of Fulani herders to freedom of movement and residence across the country while fielding questions on the talkshow “The Candidates” a month before the 2019 general elections.
The law, according to the presidential candidate of the biggest opposition party, cannot be sustained.
He said, “We have to look at the constitutionality of those laws. I’m not sure whether they come with the provisions of our constitution which guarantees freedom of movement, the right to reside wherever you want in the country and so on, and so forth. So we have to look at that.
“The constitution does not restrict the movement of people in Nigeria, so any law that restricts people from moving freely and doing their legitimate business can’t be upheld”.
According to Anaedoonline.ng, several of the governors who signed the prohibition measure into law in their respective states are now backing Atiku to become Nigeria’s next president.
Apart from Benue State in the north central region of the nation, the law has been implemented in around seven states in the south, including Lagos.
2023: PDP To Present Certificate Of Return To Atiku On Wednesday
The anti-open grazing laws was enacted into law by Ekiti State in 2016, and it stipulates that defaulters must serve at least six months in jail.
In 2018, Abia State signed its own measure, and in March 2021, Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri signed the bill into law, declaring that the goal is to end the state’s frequent confrontations between herders and farmers.
Remember that the measure was passed into law in August 2021 by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike.
While signing the anti-open grazing bill in September 2021, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, stated that open grazing has harmed the state’s growth.
On September 15, 2021, Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi also signed the measure.
Anti-Open Grazing Bill: Enugu Governor, Ugwuanyi Signs Bill Into Law
Meanwhile, Governors Samuel Ortom of Benue and Nyesom Wike of Rivers have sworn to back Atiku’s presidential bid and guarantee that he succeeds President Muhammadu Buhari.
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