The Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, says its members are supporting the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu because his administration will defend the interest of Fulani pastoralists.
The group explained that it endorsed the former Lagos State governor because he promised to address the issue around the Livestock Intervention Programme and the retrieval of the “450 grazing routes across the country.”
Miyetti Allah Secretary-General Saleh Alhassan said that Tinubu gave them the commitment to ensure the implementation of the National Livestock Development Plan of the current administration of the President, Muhammadu Buhari, where they will ensure the modernisation of the livestock sub-sector and address the issue of cattle rustling and kidnapping allegations between herders and farmers.
“We will have more ranches and exotic breeding grounds across the country and the gradual sedentarisation of the nomadic herders. This is what we are looking for in the Tinubu/Shettima presidency.
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“The 450 grazing routes, the majority of which are located in the North, are the starting points of any modern ranch one wants to build in this country. Those are areas provided for herders to do their business for cattle rearing.”
Alhassan was also quoted as adding that Nigeria should begin its ranching modernisation from the grazing routes dedicated for livestock farmers in the First Republic.
“We cannot build ranches on nothingness, and the issues of land have to be put into serious consideration. This is what Tinubu has promised to address,” he said.
Open grazing, which has led to loss of numerous lives and properties due to clashes between farmers and herders, is one of the many political controversies in the country.
Last year, the controversy heightened following President Buhari’s announcement that he had instituted a committee to review and revive 368 grazing reserves in 25 out of the 36 states in the country.
The announcement drew the ire of some of the country’s social, cultural and political leaders, including the Southern Governors Forum led by the Ondo State governor Rotimi Akeredolu.