Why Does Buhari Oppose Restructuring, Support Open Grazing?

 By Tony Eluemunor

How on Earth could anyone explain President Muhammadu Buhari’s recently advertised opposition to the massive calls that Nigeria be restructured? And does anyone know the exact reasons why he supports Rural Area Grazing Reserves (RUGA)? 

*Buhari

What exactly did the President have in mind when on Saturday, June 19, 2021, he said in Kaduna (through a representative) that “those calling for restructuring are afraid of partisan politics”? He spoke that Saturday as a Special Guest of Honour during the Launch of Kudirat Abiola Sabon Gari, Zaria Peace Foundation which took place at Ahmadu Bello University Hotels, Zaria, Kaduna State. I hope he does not believe that once a man has been elected President he becomes a national teacher that can’t go wrong? 

If any of the President’s speeches could be called a declaration, in terms of the importance of the speech in national affairs, it was that open repudiation of the concept of national restructuring to bring about a true federalism. Unfortunately, the President’s speech did not go as deep as Declarations go; he simply stated some positions but refused to fully develop them. For instance, Buhari said “there was nothing Nigerians needed now than Peace, and the country would be better if Nigerians remain united as a sovereign nation than fragmented entities”. 

My question: if there is no peace now in Nigeria, a united Nigeria, how would that peace emerge later unless we do something differently? Would it come about if Nigeria does nothing else but “remain united as a sovereign nation than fragmented entities”? How would that much needed peace come about if Nigeria does not change what in its entity has become inimical to peace? Has it not become clear to Buhari that for decades, there were little calls for fragmentation …until peace was shattered? That was true for 1967 when the Nigerian Civil war broke out as it remains true at present when peace has fled from Nigeria as a result of the Boko Haram, bandits and killer herder’s insurgencies. Most of all, Buhari has been in power for six years now, has his administration solved the insecurity problem? Had it done so, there would be no agitation. 

Yet, perhaps apart from IPOB and its calls for Biafra, and talks in the fringe Yoruba circle, and both remain distractive side-talks, most agitators actually called for restructuring of the Nigerian polity, especially in fiscal and internal security matters such as the adoption of state and community police. Mainstream agitators did not at any time call for the dismembering or fragmenting of the nation. For instance, there is no doubt that numerous communities in the Middle Belt, the South- South, South West and South-East have been sacked by Fulani herders who came with blazing AK47s. It is a fact that the President has ordered that anybody seen holding AK47 illegally should be shot. But that has not solved the problem. That is why people are asking for restructuring. 

Also, the President has called for land from states for RUGA. Some people have responded that such a thing has no place in a Federation. Such an answer was repeated when Buhari called for the implementation of the grazing routes as gazetted in 1963. 

In that same speech Buhari said: “And again those who are discussing restructuring, my question is what are you going to restructure? If you ask many Nigerians what they are going to restructure, you will find out that they have nothing to talk about. Some of them have not even studied the 1999 constitution. The 1999 Constitution is almost 70 to 80 percent 1979 constitution.” 

So, does the 1999 constitution, being a 90% adoption of the 1979 one, obliterate any need that it be amended to meet the needs of 2021? Even then, has Buhari asked the NIGERIANs what they want to restructure? 

He said: “It is okay to demand for restructuring, renewal of constitution, but what is most important now is how the Nigeria state can make local government functional, how can Nigerian states make judiciary independent? Rather we ask Nigerians to focus on putting pressure on National Assembly members to make sure that that autonomy as enshrined in our constitution is respected and implemented.” 

Gosh, it is Buhari’s duty as President to listen to Nigerians and satisfy their desires, not talk down on them. Restructuring is not against independent judiciary or optimally functional LGAs. 

Did the President actually say this: “There is no government in the world that will cede their authority to the people that are not elected? You are telling us to resolve a system and call for an obscure conference to come and discuss how we can move forward as a nation, that can never be done and no country will agree to that.” 

Power belongs to the people and the citizenry imbued that power on Buhari as President. National conferences are organized to distil the thoughts of a nation through their representatives. That was how the 1979 constitution came about. And if Buhari so wants, he should organize a referendum to okay decisions of a national forum. Finish! He could demand that the forum members be elected and the National Assembly would pass the law. 

On cattle routes: until details emerge, I fear the 1963 gazetted Cattle Routes may have passed through the State House, Abuja. Numerous bats nestle in the Aso Rock Presidential Villa area. When they fly out in the evenings, they darken the sky. Also, the entire Three –Arm Zone (Presidency, the National Assembly and the Supreme Court) is home to a large set of monkeys. That was why the Villa area was earmarked for a National Zoo in the Abuja Master Plan. That would have been a unique zoo; apart from the caged animals, free-ranging bats and birds would have joined the happy monkeys in entertaining animal lovers. And when you remember that the very first source of water supply into Abuja was from under the real Aso Rock itself, you would suspect that a cattle route could have led directly to it. 

Now Buhari has asked that the gazetted 1963 law be dug out. And I suspect that the Justice Minister and the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), may have already done so. So, what if the powers that be have decided to implement that Northern Region law? Abuja was within the defunct Northern Region! 

So, do we tear down the Villa… if, if the 1963 cattle route passed through it? And what if it was even a cattle reserve? It might have come to that because that is what you get when you do the unthinkable; jettison the search for tomorrow for the quest for yesterday. 

One would have thought in this cattle routes, cattle reserve, and cattle colony issue, that the tomorrow is personal ranches. And cattle routes and open grazing should be yesterday. Or are we not talking of a 1963 gazette, 58 years ago? 

Now, it says a lot that no Minister has resigned over Mr. President’s insistence on cattle routes and open grazing. So, they all believe in it. So, to give the rest of us an inkling into this tomorrow they wish for Nigeria, could someone answer a few nagging questions? 

Item: After the government has built the Cattle Reserves or ranches (including water facilities, schools, hospitals, markets, etc, and the herders and their cattle have moved in, would they be paying any fees? Or would Nigeria be supporting the herders in their personal businesses indefinitely? And if more Fulani herders from other countries arrived here and contended for space, do we simply construct more free herders’ havens? If not, why not? 

Item: And as the Justice Minister has likened cattle husbandry to auto spare parts business, would shopping complexes, containing schools, hospitals, water supply, electricity, etc, also be made available to the spare parts sellers and cocoa farmers and timber merchants? And for free if the government provided cattle reserves gratis? 

Item: As Malami has asked the state Governors who have banned open grazing to first pursue a constitutional change, could he please spell out the constitutional passage that should be changed? I hope he would not include freedom of movement for cattle for that would begin and end in their owner’s ranches. Or should the Minister welcome some spare parts sellers to operate their shops from his personal property?

Item: Is the President unaware of the fact that some states have duly passed the ban on open grazing into law? And does he not see the need to go to court to challenge such laws first? 

Item: In giving out spaces in the government-built Cattle Reserves to herders, how would the bona fide Nigerian Fulani herders be differentiated from the non-Nigerian ones? Or would that not be necessary? 

Item: What has informed this need for the government to even begin to think of constructing Cattle Reserves for herders? Are we saying that it would be wrong to ask herders to pen in their animals? Or that right now in Abuja, anyone could just put up a chicken poultry anywhere and anyhow? If not, why has cattle husbandry been treated differently? And since when did governments start building business offices or farms or spare part shops for business people? And what would be provided for the fishermen? 

Item: Fulani cattle herders have always had the need to have a Seriki wherever they go. Why can’t they live under the guidance of the chief or king of a village where they ply their trade? Must they live apart from their host community? And how would a traditional ruler be held responsible for security in his domain when he does not even know that some Fulani herders have arrived at a particular place? 

Item: Mr President has asked that Governors, LGA Chairmen and traditional rulers see to the security needs of their areas. As he understands such grassroots security needs, why does he not support the State and Community Police idea? Who do the Police Commissioners report to? 

The answers should help the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration and Nigerians hold a real discussion. Enough of the monologues, please. 

*Eluemunor is a commentator on public issues