The chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Walid Jibrin, has charged Nigerians to embrace the federal government’s planned establishment of Rural Grazing Areas (RUGA) across the country.
Jibrin told newsmen yesterday in his country home in Nasarawa State that the proposed settlement policy for herdsmen would promote peace and security in Nigeria.
He said that the programme would also boost food security and improve on the health and standard of living of benefitting rural communities.
Jibrin, who is also the Sarkin (leader) of Fulani in Nasarawa State, commended the federal government for introducing the RUGA programme in the country considering its importance.
He said: “I am not in the All Progressives Congress (APC), I am a PDP chieftain. But when we talk of development and security, we should leave anything about politics, religion and tribe. Whoever is ruling in Nigeria, if he brings any programme that will do away with insecurity, killings; and will take care of the welfare of the people, I will go by that. My kind of politics is not a do-or-die affair and I play politics without bitterness.
“That is why I am and we the Fulani commend the federal government for introducing the RUGA project in the country.
“I and our tribe (Fulani) have embraced the programme. RUGA project include the provision of hospitals, schools, water and electricity, among other facilities, which will have direct bearing on the lives of the herders.
“Apart from that, it will also tackle incessant farmers/herdsmen conflicts as well as boost food security in the country,” he said.
Jibrin, therefore, called on the Igbo and Yoruba ethnic groups to embrace the programme in the interest of national development.
“About 12 states in the North including Nasarawa State have embraced it and have started the project. So, I am calling on the southerners, the Igbo, the Yoruba, among others, to embrace it, even though the project is not compulsory. The project will keep the herdsmen one, safe and will improve on their welfare as some states in the South East have promised to donate land for the project,” he said.
He appealed to all herdsmen and other Nigerians to shun armed robbery, kidnapping and other negative tendencies in the interest of peace and development of the country.
The PDP chieftain further urged Nigerians to live peacefully irrespective of their ethnic, religious and political affiliation.
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