Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has expressed his position on the controversial RUGA settlements that the Federal Government intends to build across the country.
Some observers had been watching Fayemi’s lips over the matter, based on his closeness to President Muhammadu Buhari, who is believed to see the scheme as one that can check the crises occurring between herders and naties.
The opposition had actually tried to use the question of open grazing against Fayemi during last year’s election, saying he was going to give Ekiti land to Fulani herdsmen.
Fayemi has, however, said that no one can come from outside to take land in Ekiti.
Although he did not mention RUGA in particular, he said the land in the state was not even enough for indigenes.
During a condolence visit to Orin-Ekiti, where a 65-year-old hunter, Emmanuel Ilori, was shot dead by suspected herdsmen over the weekend, the governor allayed the fear of the people.
He said, “Nobody is coming to take our land in Ekiti. The governor of Ekiti state has the power over the land of Ekiti and it is the person that the governor gives land in Ekiti that can use the land of Ekiti.
If there are negative comments being peddled around that some people are coming to take over Ekiti land, it’s mere hearsay. It cannot happen in Ekiti except I am no longer the governor of Ekiti state and there is nobody that can be governor in Ekiti that will cede Ekiti land to outsiders because our land is not even enough for us.
“Adequate security of our people is what concerns me most in Ekiti and Nigeria and I want our people to ignore the lies and falsehood some individuals are spreading around. There is nobody that will be governor in Ekiti that will allow outsiders to take over our communities from the people here or say that people coming from elsewhere should come and take over Ekiti land.”
