Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has slammed justice minister Abubakar Malami as arrogant and anarchist regarding his views on southern governors’ ban on open grazing.

He described Mr Malami as being unreasonable in his thinking and approach to the ban.

Peoples Gazette reported the minister describing as illegal the ban on open grazing.

“It is about constitutionality within the context of the freedom of expression enshrined in our constitution. Can you deny the rights of a Nigerian? “It is as good as saying the northern governors come together to say that they forbid spare part trading in the North,” Mr Malami had argued.

Pooh-poohing Mr Malami’s argument, Mr Akeredolu called it an unreasonable outburst unbefitting a senior advocate of Nigeria.

It is most unfortunate that the AGF is unable to distil issues as expected of a Senior Advocate. Nothing can be more disconcerting,” the governor explained. This outburst should, ordinarily, not elicit a response from reasonable people who know the distinction between a legitimate business that is not in any way injurious and a certain predilection for “anarchy.”

Further, lambasting the justice minister, Mr Akeredolu, in a Thursday statement accused him, the federal government and other herdsmen sympathisers of “clinging to an anachronistic” model of animal husbandry, which he said “is evidently injurious to harmonious” relationship between the herders and farmers “as well as the local populace.”

Mr Akeredolu thus described Mr Malami’s attitude as “wicked and arrogant.”

Expounding on the issue, the governor stated, “Comparing this anachronism, which has led to the loss of lives, farmlands, and property, and engendered untold hardship on the host communities, with buying and selling of auto parts is not only strange. It, annoyingly, betrays a terrible mindset.”

However, the governor advised Mr Malami to approach the court to “challenge the legality of the laws of the respective states banning open grazing and decision” of the Southern Governors Forum “taken in the interest of their people.”

He added, “We shall be most willing to meet him in court. The decision to ban open grazing stays. It will be enforced with vigour.”