Watch your utterances lest you ignite the polity, Gov Akeredolu tells Bala Mohammed.
– Steve Ovirih.
The Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu has counselled his counterpart from Bauchi State, Gov. Bala Mohammed to watch his remarks so that he doesn’t unknowingly ignite the heating up of the polity by his unguarded statements. Governor Akeredolu offered this advice as a follow-up to the recent statement of the Bauchi State Governor who said herders do not need Akeredolu’s permission to live in Ondo forests.
It will be recalled that Ondo State Governor had given an ultimatum to the Fulani herdsmen who had occupied Ondo State forest reserves and had used it as their anchor to perpetrate evil crimes of kidnapping for ransom and high way robbery.
Governor Mohammed had said as long as land is in the hands of the state and federal government in trust, Nigerians don’t need the permission of governors or even the Federal Government to settle anywhere. He said if the herders chose to reside in Ondo forests, they don’t need the go ahead of Gov. Akeredolu and do not require to seek his permission whatsoever as the Constitution protects the rights of residence of Nigerians in any part of the country.
Bala Mohammed also charged the South West Governors of not accommodating Nigerians of other ethnic groups, stressing that they are wrong with their gesture. Going further , Gov. Mohammed reiterated that the herders are forced to carry rifles because government has failed to protect them .
Governor Akeredolu, whose South West state of Ondo has suffered serial herdsmen attacks leading to killing of ordinary members of the public and high profile citizens, after meetings with stakeholders had ordered the eviction of the herdsmen from the Ondo State forest reserves .
Akeredolu noted that Gov. Bala Mohammed’s utterances have been quite provocative and insensitive and it is important that the Governor is called to order as he has shown by his remarks his indifference to the kidnapping for ransom and killing of the innocent people of Ondo State by criminal herders who have turned the State forest reserves to their hideouts.
Gov. Akeredolu advised Gov. Bala Mohammed not to forget that his office reposes in him the need to be gubernatorial in his contribution to social and national discourse in the polity, charging him to drop the toga of a war enterpreneur with destructive body language that could further cause crack in the nation.
