By Ehi Ekhaor
The speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Dr. Justin Okonoboh has described those angry over the grazing bill as ignorant.
Okonoboh disclosed to NAIJA CENTER NEWS that the bill was sponsored by a private member, which means the sponsor is not among the lawmakers and the name cannot be disclosed.
He stated that by next week during the public hearing, Edo people could support or oppose the bill.
He assured that if the people want the bill dismissed, it would definitely be dismissed as he lawmakers worked for the people.
He said: “It is a private member bill. Those people are angry out of ignorance. The bill has not gone anywhere, the house has not taken any decision. We are going into public hearing by next week Thursday so that people can contribute and say what they want to happen to the bill.
“No one has any right to get angry now until Thursday. Come out and tell us what you want to happen to the bill. If they say they don’t want the bill, the bill will die.
“A bill take a long time to come out, it goes through first reading and by second reading, we are asking people to tell us what they think about it. If Edo people support the bill, then it will go through, but if they said no, we will kill the bill.
“Next week we have asked government, lawyers, traditional rulers and civil societies to come and make their contributions. If it is considered rubbish, then it would be dropped.
“Some people are just mischievously accusing the government, the government has nothing to do with the bill.
“There are three ways bills come to us.
The bill can come through the government, private citizen, and the lawmakers”
The angry youths are accusing the governor of indirectly sponsoring the bills as he had earlier called for a state ranch for the herdsmen.
The governor, Godwin Obaseki said “I would like us in the state to have at least one ranch in each local government; that will seem to address the issue of the alleged notorious activities of cattle herdsmen in parts of the state”.
Fulani herdsmen had killed, rape and destroyed farm land and the police is yet to make an arrest. Meanwhile, the Obaseki defended the herdsmen during an address in Edo State, saying that those responsible for the killing are foreigners as serious minded herdsmen wouldn’t leave their cattles to hurt anyone.
