The Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has tackled the Presidency over its stand on the directive that herdsmen should vacate Ondo forests.
Akeredolu, who slammed President Muhammadu Buhari’s opposition to his directive noted that the Presidency’s stand pointed to a threat to Nigeria’s corporate existence.
Speaking on behalf of the Governor, the Commissioner of information in Ondo State, Donald Ojogo accused Buhari of being emotionally attached to the herdsmen.
The Commissioner in a statement said that the president’s response stated unambiguously, Federal Government’s position.
Akeredolu Tackles Presidency
According to Ojogo, the Ondo State Government did not ask Fulani to leave the state, adding that only herdsmen who are unregistered were asked to leave the forests.
The Commissioner opined that the state government need clearly defined actions on the part of the Federal Government.
The Ondo State government had given the herdsmen a seven-day ultimatum to vacate the forest reserves because the government traced criminal activities to them.
Reacting to the directive, the Senior Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Shehu Garba, said the Governor lacked powers to drive the herdsmen away from the forests.