Attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice Abubakar Malami has criticised southern governors for banning open grazing in the region.
Malami said on Wednesday while featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today that open grazing ban is the same thing as northern governors banning spare parts trading in their own region considering the fact that southerners comprise a majority of spare parts traders in the north.
The ban on open grazing by southern governors who met last week in Asaba has continued to raise dusts especially among northern elite.
“It is about constitutionality. Within the context of the freedoms enshrined in our constitution, can you deny a right of a Nigerian? It is as good as saying may be the northern governors coming together to say that they prohibit spare parts trading in the north. Does it hold water? Does it hold water for a northern governor to come and state expressly that he now prohibits spare parts trading in the north?” asked Malami.
He continued saying, “If you are talking of a constitutionally guaranteed right, the better approach to it is perhaps to go back and ensure that the constitution is amended. The freedom and liberty of movement, amongst others is established by the constitution.
“If by an inch, you want to have any compromise, the better approach is to go back to the National Assembly for open grazing to be prohibited and see whether you can have the desired support for the constitutional amendment in that respect but it is a very dangerous position for any governor in Nigeria to think that he can bring about any compromise on the freedom and liberty of individuals to move around.”
