Chairman of the South West Governors Forum, Rotimi Akeredolu has fired a warning to his Bauchi State counterpart asking him ‘not to set Nigeria on fire with his statements’.
The Ondo State Governor was reacting to the statement credited to the Bauchi Governor, Bala Mohammed, that Nigerians don’t need his permission to live in forests reserve describing the statement as ‘provoking and insensitive’ to say the least.
Akeredolu had earlier directed herdsmen in the state government forest reserve in Ondo state to vacate or register with the state following the spate of kidnappings, killings, rape, and other criminal activities.
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Bauchi governor, Bala Mohammed was reacting to the directive from Akeredolu when he declared that the chairman of the southwest governors forum does not have the right to issue a vacation notice to herders in the state. According to Mohammed ‘Land is in the hands of the state and federal governments in trust but Nigerians don’t need the permission of governors or the federal government to settle everywhere.’
He went further that ‘You don’t need the permission of the governor of Bauchi or the governor of Ondo to be in the forests of Ondo if you choose to live in the forests because under Section 41 of the constitution, you are free to settle anywhere,’
Akeredolu reacted through his Special Assistant to the Governor (New Media) Olabode Richard Olatunde, Governor Akeredolu called on Nigerians to disregard Mohammed’s comments. Akeredolu said his position is not to engage or confront anyone who has the mindset of a crisis entrepreneur or warmonger. ‘Very provoking and insensitive as the statement appears, we can only err on the side of caution by advising Governor Bala Mohammed not set Nigeria on fire by his thoughts that are highly destructive and undermining national cohesion.’
‘Nigerians should ignore him and rather focus on those issues that can bring about peace and engender unity.’ He added.
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
