Oyo Speaker, Ogundoyin Says Anti-Grazing Bill not Targeted at Anyone as Assembly Passes Bill into Law

The Speaker of Oyo state House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin has called on residents of the state to ignore rumours that the anti-open grazing bill will create hostility between farmers and herders.

Ogundoyin who spoke on Thursday during the day’s plenary said the bill which was just passed by the Assembly was meant to avoid damage to farms and end loss of lives in the state. He said the House considered several views and opinions from stakeholders, individuals and groups before passing the bill into law.

He said, “We assured the people that all suggestions and memoranda of understanding submitted by various groups, agencies and representatives of different communities and tribes on the open rearing and grazing regulation bill 2019 was painstakingly looked into before it was passed into law.

“I am appealing to everyone to shun the rumour spreading that the law is to make life and business unbearable for some targeted group or set of people. Rather, it seeks to promote peace among residents and different tribes in Oyo State.”

The bill, the Oyo State Rearing and Open Grazing Regulation Bill 2019, was jointly sponsored by the Speaker, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin; Deputy Speaker, Hon. Abiodun Fadeyi; Majority Leader, Hon. Sanjo Adedoyin and Minority Leader, Hon. Asimiyu Alarape.

Fulani herdsmen in the state had vowed to drag the government to court should it go ahead to pass the bill. The herdsmen in a communique issued at the end of the meeting on Tuesday said the bill is targeted at them and the implementation will cause problems.