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Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, Governor of Ondo State.

Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu has expressed concern over the inability of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr Shehu Malami to distill issues in a manner expected of a Senior Advocate.
Governor Akeredolu (SAN) was reacting to a statement by the Justice Minister in which he was said to the Southern Governors’ resolution to ban open grazing in their respective states is akin banning all spare parts dealers dealers in the Northern parts of the country, saying that “it is unconstitutional.”
In a statement in which he reacted to Malami’s commens, Akeredolu took umbrage, saying that Malami’s statement and criticized the A-G for clinging to archaic system of animal husbandry is wicked and arrogant.”
Entitled “OUR DECISION IS IRREVERSIBLE AND WILL BE ENFORCED” Governor Akeredolu’s statement reads:
I have just read the press statement credited to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Shehu Malami SAN on the resolution of the Southern Governors Forum to ban open grazing in their respective States. The AGF is quoted to have said that this reasoned decision, among others, is akin to banning all spare parts dealers in the Northern parts of the country and is unconstitutional.

It is most unfortunate that the AGF is unable to distill issues as expected of a Senior Advocate. Nothing can be more disconcerting. This outburst should, ordinarily, not elicit response from reasonable people who know the distinction between a legitimate business that is not in anyway injurious and a certain predilection for anarchy. Clinging to an anachronistic model of animal husbandry, which is evidently injurious to harmonious relationship between the herders and the farmers as well as the local populace, is wicked and arrogant.

Comparing this anachronism, which has led to loss of lives, farmlands and property, and engendered untold hardship on the host communities, with buying and selling of auto parts is not only strange. It, annoyingly, betrays a terrible mindset.

Mr Malami is advised to approach the court to challenge the legality of the Laws of the respective States baning open grazing and decision of the Southern Governor Forum taken in the interest of their people. We shall be most willing to meet him in Court.
The decision to ban open grazing stays. It will be enforced with vigour.
SIGNED
ARAKUNRIN OLUWAROTIMI O AKEREDOLU, SAN
GOVERNOR, ONDO STATE