The attempt by the Peoples Democratic Party senator representing Oyo South, Kola Balogun, to present his bill aimed at banning open grazing in the country, on the floor of the red chamber, might have been technically frustrated.
Balogun told our correspondent in March this year that the proposed legislation, which he had submitted since January, was ready for first reading.
Investigations by Saturday PUNCH at the Rules and Business Committee of the red chamber, however, showed that the bill has not been approved for listing on the order paper by the leadership of the upper chamber.
The senator, in a discussion with our correspondent last week, expressed surprise that his bill had yet to see the light of day, since he presented it for listing on the order paper.
Balogun, however, said he would not relent in his efforts to ensure that the bill surfaced on the floor of the Senate as soon as possible to tackle the menace of killer herdsmen terrorising Nigerians.
He said, “I don’t really know why the bill has not come up for first reading but we are on it. I have a lot of senators ready to support it.”
Balogun’s senatorial district, like other southern parts of Nigeria and the Middle Belt, are constantly under the attack of the Fulani herdsmen.
Worried by the development, the governors from the southern part of Nigeria announced a total ban on open grazing at the end of their meeting in Asaba, Delta State last month.
Senators from southern Nigeria have also supported the ban on open grazing and urged the governors to approach the National Assembly to perfect necessary legislative effect to their collective resolution.
Some senators, who spoke with our correspondent on the issue during the week on condition of anonymity, vowed to push for the listing of the bill for necessary legislative action.
A senator from the South-West geopolitical zone said there was strong opposition to the anti-open grazing bill in the red chamber.
He, however, noted that his colleagues pushing for the proposed legislation would not relent until they achieved their aim.
The lawmaker said, “The leadership of the 9th Senate is not comfortable with the bill and we have noticed that in their body language but we are determined to protect our people through all legal means against the herdsmen.”
However, the senator representing Cross River South, Gershon Bassey, told Saturday PUNCH that he did not believe the bill was being frustrated by the Senate leadership.
He said, “Talks about the leadership trying to frustrate the presentation of the bill is in the realm of speculation. The truth of the matter is that the process of lawmaking is there. Before any bill can be introduced, it has to go through the normal process and then we see how the document will look like.”
Bassey earlier told our correspondent that the legislation needed the support to end the herder-farmer clashes.
He emphasised widespread consultations to make it enjoy the support of every senator in the chamber.
“There has to be a widespread consultation before we can reach something that is agreeable to everybody,” he said.
