Former governor of Kebbi State, Senator Adamu Aliero, has criticised the Senate’s “overreach” in the proposed ranching bill, predicting that it would not survive public scrutiny.
In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Tuesday, Senator Aliero stated, “Animal husbandry, which is almost similar to ranching, is neither in the exclusive list nor the concurrent legislative list, so we are stepping into an area we shouldn’t have stepped in.”
Senator Aliero explained that animal husbandry falls under the residual list, which is within the power of the state government. “You cannot establish ranching without having land, and land is totally under the control of the governors except in the Federal Capital Territory,” he said. He emphasised that the federal government cannot make laws on land issues unless state governors willingly and voluntarily give land to the federal government.
While he supported parts of the bill that allow governors to grant land for ranching, he stressed that ranching should be a private business with government support. “Government will give support to individuals to establish the ranch,” he said, noting that herdsmen could then rear their animals in a controlled environment, reducing movement and aiding monitoring efforts.
Senator Aliero also expressed concerns about restricting the movement of people, which he believes goes against the Nigerian constitution and ECOWAS protocol.
“Herders always go with their merchandise; you cannot separate them,” he stated. “Any attempt to separate them will not be possible.”
Reflecting on past attempts by the federal government to establish ranches, which failed due to poor management, he said, “I support ranching provided it is run by private individuals,” adding that in advanced countries, cows do not move from one place to another, and such practices should be adopted in Nigeria.
Aliero highlighted the neglect faced by the Fulani community, stressing that they have been marginalised for a long time. “It is this kind of injustice that made the Fulani behave the way they are behaving,” he noted. He believes that properly managed ranching could benefit the Fulani community by providing education, health services, and a stable living environment.
Regarding the bill’s future, Senator Aliero suggested that it should be pushed to the state level rather than handled by the National Assembly. “The bill is in order provided we remove certain aspects of it and push it to the state,” he concluded. “Whatever will make us have peace in Nigeria is what I will support, but I will not support any legislation that discriminates against our people; it is wrong, unfair, unjust, and unconstitutional.”
NNEOMA UDENSI
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