Anti-Open Grazing Law: Benue State Assembly Passes Vote Of No Confidence On Defence Minister
Loading ...…Calls for his immediate Resignation
From Msughshima Andrew, Makurdi
Benue State House of Assembly passed a vote of no confidence on the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali for calling for the suspension of Benue Anti-Open Grazing law 2017.
The assembly made the call during a plenary session to deliberate on issues bothering the state before a motion of urgent public importance was read.
In a motion of urgent Public importance moved by the Majority Leader, Benjamin Adanyi, the Assembly condemned, in totality, the comments mafe by Dan Ali, whom they said was supposed to be the defender of Laws and orders, describing his Statements as capable of causing more crisis in the country.
The Defence Minister had on the 5th of May 2018 called for the suspension of the Anti-Open Grazing and Ranches Establishment Law passed in Benue State.
He said the minister was quoted to have said that suspension of the law would reduce tension in Benue and Taraba.
The minister was said to have requested that cattle routes be established.
Adanyi expressed worry over the comments made by the defence minister, saying that the comments were capable of breaching the little peace and further compound the security issues in the state.
“I am worried that these comments are coming from someone whose duty is to safeguard the lives of the citizens of the nation.
“The minister is undermining the little peace we have in the state and he is being archaic by requesting for cattle routes when schools and hospitals had been built on those routes since in the 70s.
“It is shameful for the minister to be speaking like a woman in a market place instead of approaching a court of law for valid declaration setting aside the law if he thinks it was passed without due process,” Adanyi stressed.
He therefore, prayed that the Benue people pass a vote of no confidence on the minister.
Seconding the motion, Mr Chris Adaji (Ohimini/PDP) stated that the minister was not competent to handle the position he occupied, asking for his immediate resignation.
Supporting the motion, The Minority Leader, Mr Sule Audu (Agatu/PDP), Mr Nick Eworo (Obi/APC) and Mr Bem Ngutyo (Tarka/APC) asked the defence minister to withdraw the statement and resign.
Ruling, Speaker, Mr Terkimbi Ikyange aligned himself with the mover of the motion, describing the statements by the minister as very unfortunate and sad.
Ikyange therefore, condemned in totality the minister’s comments and granted the prayers contained in the motion.
The Speaker also called on the Federal Government to ensure the full implementation of the anti-open grazing law in Benue or be accused of complicity.
