Senate President Bukola Saraki

The Arewa Youth for Peace and Security (AYPS) has advised the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) to focus on helping to stop the killings, rather than getting involved in partisan politics.

The National President of the group, Salisu Magaji, gave the advice in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja.

Magaji expressed concern over a statement credited to Garus Galolo, the Benue State Chairman of the association, asking Senate President Bukola Saraki to resign from office or he would be forced to do so.

He noted that Saraki was elected by senators and only two-thirds of the entire lawmakers could remove him from office as stipulated by law.

“They should restrict themselves to the constitution of Miyetti Allah. Saraki is a Nigerian and he remains the President of the Nigerian Senate as elected by the senators.”

Magaji wondered if the association was now a political group to be talking about forcing Saraki out of office.

“Do they not know he was elected as the Senate President by senators and that only two thirds of the entire senators can remove him from office as stipulated by the constitution of Nigeria?

“We would like to think that this chairman of Miyetti Allah in Benue State does not understand the rudiments and essence of politics.

“So, let him concentrate on how to stop the killings in Benue State and desist henceforth, from talking about politics because Miyetti Allah is not a political group.

“He should desist from heating up an already fragile polity. Our laws are clear on how to remove a sitting Senate President.

“This attempt at resorting to unconstitutional means, as advocated in some quarters, does not mean well for our democracy and ultimately, the stability of our nation,” Magaji said.

Meanwhile, Baba Uthman Ngelzarma, the National Secretary of MACBAN, had in a statement urged the public to disregard Garus Galolo’s position, saying that he spoke in his personal capacity and had no mandate to speak on behalf of the association.

Ngelzarma, in the statement, said: “Miyetti Allah is a non-partisan association with no interest in the political terrain and we couldn’t meddle into the affairs of political actors, thereby compounding our already obvious challenges.

“I, therefore, urge all and sundry to disregard this statement. This statement is not from MACBAN and should be disregarded in its entirety.

“We take exception to this statement and Garos Gololo is entirely on his own and will be sanctioned accordingly. We cannot afford to add up to the many challenges we are confronted with.

“I’m therefore appealing to the general public to disregard this statement as it is coming from someone who doesn’t have the mandate of the association to speak on its behalf.”