By Daniel Kanu
Assistant Politics Editor
Peoples Club International Chairman, Chigoziem Chibeze, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to be wary of herdsmen and grazing options as both portend great danger.
He also tasked Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, on security and tax matters.
Chibeze spoke in Lagos after he took office as the new chairman of the club, a non-political but socially-oriented organisation.
He said the Herdsmen Grazing Bill is a time bomb waiting to explode if it is politicised, warning Buhari to handle it with care so as not to bungle the “ovation, confidence and trust of the people which brought him to power.”
He urged him to “look into the herdsmen problem. He should look into the Grazing Bill with great caution because what is happening can plunge the country into war. What we are seeing now will cause much more problems if not properly handled.”
Chibeze added that he has “travelled far and near” and believes there should be “ranches for cattle” as done in developed lands.
“You don’t allow cattle to roam about the street in the name of grazing them while they destroy other people’s farm businesses.
“You can’t damage other people’s farms which is their business and expect them to keep quiet, and when they complain herdsmen unleash terror on them. It’s unacceptable.
“Create grazing lands. This business is their business, it is somebody’s business, and they don’t need to acquire another person’s land to grow their business.”
He asked Ambode to be on top of security in Lagos given the population of the state and that people troop into it daily.
Chibeze, who holds a traditional title of Ichie Omenuko-aku, Awka Ekiti, also urged him to review the tax system as most businesses are crumbling due to high multiple taxes.
“Ambode is trying but he should be on top of security in Lagos, even more than 24 hours, given the nation’s security challenge, the population trooping into Lagos each passing day, armed robbery, kidnapping; but above all, the strategic place of Lagos.
“He should look into the tax system, it’s killing businesses.”
On his vision for the club, Chibeze said: “I have a three-point agenda: The first is about our land matter which we suspect there is a strong conspiracy with the judiciary to deny us of the club’s land which we have acquired for years.
“Second is a strong membership drive, particularly youths who will take over from us. Most of the members we have are all aging, many above 50 years.
“Third, to bring our backsliding members back.”
He advised South East governors to forge a united front to ensure “nobody takes the zone for granted in denying it of its rights and all things due to it.
“We must devise a means of agreeing on issues of great importance to the zone. We must begin to understand that everything has a limit and it is time for us to re-think.
“It is time for us to also think home. We should refuse to be used as instruments of destabilisation by other groups at critical situations.”