Asaba Accord: Critics of Southern govs, selfish, unpatriotic —Aniagwu

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

Immediate Past Commissioner for Information in Delta State, Mr. Charles Aniagwu on Monday, slammed critics of Southern governors’ ban on open grazing for being selfish and unpatriotic.
The former Commissioner, who spoke on a radio programme “Do it right” on Network Service of Radio Nigeria, said that the Southern Governors decision to ban open grazing was because of the loss of lives occasioned by the farmers-herders clashes across the country.
He said that the Southern Governors came up with the decision after years of waiting on the Federal Government to resolve the crisis which had impacted negatively on food security in the nation.
According to Aniagwu, those against the ban on open grazing do so based on their sentiments and personal benefits rather than being altruistic and looking at issues patriotically.
“The southern Governors were very very clear and their position is not only for the purpose of the region. There has been alot of security issues, communities being sacked, our people are being killed both in the North and the South.
“The Southern Governors have had cause to wait very patiently for the central government to take a decision to protect the rest of us in line with the provision of section 14 subsection 2 paragraph B of the 1999 constitution and that seem to be very very far and slow in coming and so the best thing to do given the mandate that they enjoy on behalf of the people of the Southern region is to take steps to preserve, protect and indeed guarantee the safety of the people of the region,” he said.
He expressed delight that a good number of altruistic and patriotic people in the north have had cause to agree with the position of the southern leaders.
“You are very much aware of the numbers of clashes and am sure every Nigerian have lost count on the number of clashes that has happened between the herders and the farmers.
“When you lead cattle to graze and eat the cassava, maize of the other farmer who is into crop production, what have you done? You have deprived him from his source of livelihood and that will lead to conflicts.