Nigerians Free To Do Business Across the Nation, Group Backs AGF Malami
- The Coalition for the Defence of Democracy in Nigeria has thrown its weight behind the Attorney General of the Federation on open grazing
- The group said the AGF's comment on the ban of open grazing by southern governors was misconstrued
- According to the group, Nigerians are free to do business in any part of the country
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The Coalition for the Defence of Democracy in Nigeria (CDDN) on Saturday, May 22, called for caution over the recent ban on open grazing by the southern governors in Nigeria.
The pro-democracy group said every Nigerian is free to do any kind of business across states of the nation as clarified by the minister of justice and attorney general of the federation, Abubakar Malami.
A statement by the CDDN which was signed by its national coordinator Isaac Ikpa and seen by Legit.ng said the comparison made by the AGF on cattle rearing in the south and the sale of spare parts in the north is not out of place.
Ikpa urged the governors to revisit their stand in the overall interest of unity and peaceful coexistence among all Nigerians.
He said the coalition seeks to further clarify the AGF's statement following reactions generated online and offline from his interview.
Source: Twitter
Stating that the AGF's comments were misconstrued, Ikpa said the context of the use of "spare parts" is about freedom of movement of goods and ownership and not discrimination.
He also said that AGF's statement was made to ensure that there is no attempt to violate the respective rights of the Fulani and the Igbo people if you restrict their rights to the movement of their possessed goods that are not legally outlawed.
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He said that the southern governors’ declaration is a blanket statement lacking in precision and legally wrong and the statement of the AGF in the interview was aimed at showing this.
His words:
"We believe the AGF spoke strictly on the lawfulness of cattle rearing. Based on our laws, every lawful business is free and guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution."
"We are not also unmindful of the fact that in the course of doing business an act of criminality may occur and if that happens, it can be dealt with according to the extant law."
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the AGF had said that the southern governors lacked the powers to ban open grazing across the region of the country.
Malami said the recent ban of open grazing and free movement of cattle and their herders across the southern region of Nigeria is illegal.
However, in response to the AGF's outburst, the Ondo state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has said that the remarks by Malami does not hold water in any sense.
According to Akeredolu, the AGF's defence of the "outdated model" of aminal husbandry is arrogant and wicked in nature.
He also said that the southern governors' decision on the ban of open grazing still stands.
Source: Legit.ng
