Rescind plan to establish settlements for herdsmen in Ebonyi – group tells Umahi

A pressure group, Organisation of Ebonyi State Indigenes in the Diaspora (OESID) has advised the state governor, Dave Umahi to forthwith, rescinded his alleged decision to establish grazing reserve settlements for herdsmen in the state.

In a statement by its spokesperson, Pascal Oluchukwu in Abuja on Sunday, the group warned the governor not to impose herders’ programme on Ebonyi’s ancestral land or be ready to face backlash.

“We, the peace-loving people of Ebonyi State, will not allow Governor Umahi to mortgage our future in his blind support for the Federal Government abhorrent agenda,” the group said.

“This shows that the governor is pursuing his personal ambition after his tenure ends in 2023.

“We cannot accept such dictatorial posturing from a man that was only given a limited time and democratic mandate to lead and not to rule,” he said.

Oluchukwu, who described herders’ settlement as an outlandish programme, said that it is a sovereign one that cannot be taken by the governor without recourse to the people of the state, where the real sovereignty resides.

“The way and manner the Ebonyi state governor has been cowering and intimidating Ebonyi politicians shows that he does not value democracy.

“Sacking politicians and condemning stakeholders with differing views and opinions is a trait common to dictators and not an acceptable attribute of freely elected democratic leaders.

“We cannot take Umahi’s degradation and oppression against the people of Ebonyi,” Oluchukwu said.