Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has blasted Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, MACBAN, for calling for the impeachment of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
Speaking with DAILY POST, Ortom berated the association for the call, wondering if MACBAN has become lawmakers.
Recall that the leadership of MACBAN in Benue State had stressed that Saraki should be impeached, following his defection from the All Progressives Congress, APC, to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
However, Ortom rubbished the call, saying the removal of Saraki was the call of Senators and not that of MACBAN.
Ortom made the call while wondering why leaders of Miyetti Allah have not been arrested and prosecuted over the killings in his state and across the country.
The governor warned Miyetti Allah to leave lawmakers to do their job by following due process. He wonders if their constitution is still the same with Nigeria’s.
He also called for the adoption of ranches as the panacea to the killings allegedly perpetrated by herdsmen in the state.
Ortom wondered why the system of ranching won’t be adopted in Nigeria like other countries in Africa and other parts of the world.
According to the governor, “Have Miyetti Allah become lawmakers? The constitution is there, the rules in the Senate are there guiding them, those who are members of Senate know what to do. The constitution is there and there are rules, they know how to elect, they know how to impeach and it’s not the first time we have seen Senate president removed through due process; it’s very easy. Once you have two-thirds, you decide what happens; that is the law; it is the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Miyetti Allah is not mentioned in our constitution. So many people will not share my pain/opinion today, but tomorrow, they will accept it. We have decided that we will stay by the truth and work with it and I’m not intimidated by anyone.
“All that I’m asking for is justice, equity and fairness for everybody, for every Nigerian. Those who talk about the anti-grazing law being responsible for the security issues in Benue State have forgotten that it’s a global best practice. Excluding Africa, it is what is practised everywhere in the world. And the entire cattle that we are talking about in Nigeria that is creating trouble today are less than 20 million.
“In India, we have over 200 million, but they ranch. In Brazil, they have over 200 million, yet they ranch. In America and Argentina, they have over a hundred million, and they ranch.
“Even on African soil, ranching is taking place in South Africa and Swaziland. I was in Swaziland 5 years ago, and their major export earning is beef, but they ranch. They ranch even in Kenya. They ranch everywhere, even in Ghana here. Last year, they ordered that if you can’t ranch and move about with your cattle, it should be turned to ‘suya.’
“Why can’t we ranch? We are still thinking that we are in the 50s. What was the total population of Nigeria when we were in the 50s; less than 40 million. Today, what is the population? We are now over 200 million. And this is something that has been analyzed and discussed and accepted. If you look at it and check where we are today and where we will be in terms of progression in 2030, Nigeria will be 450 million people.
“So if you have 200 million sitting on 923,000 square kilometres and you are having this kind of challenge, what will happen when you are 450 million. Schools alone, I can imagine the space that it will occupy and then you talk of roads, hospitals, several other activities; so what are you going to do? So it’s better to start planning now. And globally the best practice in animal husbandry is ranching.”
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