All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Asiwaju Bola Tinubu spoke up about the menace that the Herdsmen are currently causing, stating that there was no place in the 21st century for the nomadic lifestyle.
He also noted that the reason for their prevalence was because past administrations did not deal decisively with the problem.
According to Tinubu, “Now, the current administration is moving to arrest the lethal situation,”
The political godfather was speaking at the 15th Annual Daily Trust dialogue, believes that the nomadic way of life is fast becoming obsolete.
He said “Thus, herders have no right to cling to this way of life by killing others. Government must stop their violence but also offer them a viable new way of life by moving them toward more modern, non-nomadic cattle rearing,” he said.
Tinubu, who spoke on the theme: Nigeria and the Challenges of 2019: This is not a game, was represented by one-time Lagos State Commissioner for Finance Mr Wale Edun.
Tinubu feels that the current agitation against the herdsmen should have come sooner “We should have been agitating in this manner five, 10, 15 years ago. Lives would have been saved. For reasons I cannot completely fathom, we have come late to the point of strong, collective outrage at this bloodletting.
“True patriotism requires that you love more than the concept of Nigeria. You must love the people who comprise this nation, whether they worship in a church, mosque, and shrine or not at all.”
The APC chieftain also had a few words to say about the political imbalance in the country, stating that too much power resided in the hands of too little people which in turn leads to poverty, unemployment and so on.
“For the debate needed on how best to tackle these structural problems, 2019 must not be a game between players similar in every way save the political party costume they wear.” He said
“The election to come must be a contest of different visions for the nation’s present and future.
“As a progressive, I believe we must transform the nation by embarking on deep and impactful reforms, by creating more jobs, providing social policy initiatives and building an infrastructure befitting a leading nation.
“Social services must become a reality close at hand and not a vague dream lying in the distance,” he said.