By Gabriel Atumeyi
365Daily – The members of the House of Representatives from the 17 southern states of the federation, have thrown their support behind the steps taken by state governors from the region to stem the rise in insecurity.
The forum lauded the governors for the firm positions taken on burning national issues, including banning the open grazing of cattle.
The members said that such a policy would check those hiding under cattle grazing to unleash terror of kidnapping and killing on the residents of the region.
365Daily on Tuesday, May 11, reported that the governors at a meeting in Asaba, unanimously passed a verdict prohibiting open grazing in the region among other positions.
In a statement signed by Hon. Ndudi Elumelu and twenty other members which included Hon. Lynda Ikpeazu, Hon. Sylvester Ogbaga, Hon. Nkem Abonta, Hon Peter Akpatason and Hon Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, the group said it supports the recommendation that the Federal Government should provide alternative modern livestock management as a possible solution.
They also pledged their support to the demand of the governors for restructuring and devolution of power as well as adherence to the federal character principle in appointments based on justice, fairness, true federalism, and promised to direct their legislative resources to the purpose of necessary.
The statement reads in part: “The members of the House of Representatives from the 17 southern states of the federation, after due considerations, unanimously support the resolutions of the Southern Governors’ Forum on the demand for true federalism, restructuring as well as the worsening insecurity in the country, among others.
“This position is in firm restatement of our insistence that our nation must exist and governed on the platform of democratic tenets of social justice, equity, fairness, mutual respect, true federalism, rule of law and constitutional order, and we are ready to deploy all legislative instruments at our disposal for actualization
“Against this backdrop, the members of the House of Representatives from the South, without regard to any other affiliations, firmly support our governors on the immediate ban on open cattle grazing across the Southern Nigeria.
“We hold that such is a sure step towards checking the infiltration of bandits, armed herders and terrorist elements which has heightened security challenges with escalated killings and bloody attacks on innocent citizens, while crippling social life, economic activities and food production in the region.
“We therefore support the recommendation that the Federal Government should provide alternative and modern livestock management that does not constitute a security and economic challenge to the nation.
“The platform of Southern members in the House of Representatives also support our governors’ restatement of the demand for true federalism through restructuring that will lead to the devolution of power, creation of state police, review of resource control and revenue allocation formula, as well as strict adherence to federal character principle in federal appointments in the shared interests of the federating states.
“As lawmakers, we affirm that such is the only guaranteed way to ensure fairness, justice, equity to engender national stability, productivity and peaceful co-existence and we support an urgent national dialogue in that regard.
“We caution certain individuals kicking against such devolution of power and review of revenue control and allocation formula, to desist from their vested parochial interest and note that such reviews are the only way to stabilize our nation engender regional or state productivity and healthy development at all levels”.