If state governments and communities disagree about how to resolve farmer-herder conflicts, what role will the Federal Government play?

Q21: Farmers and herders in my community are in conflict over crops, grazing and land. What is your plan for resolving these disputes fairly? Answer: The administration will establish Community Peace and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Committees comprising traditional leaders, farming representatives, and herder associations to resolve land and crop disputes transparently. Q22: Farmers are afraid to go to their farms because of armed attacks and destruction of crops. How will you protect farmers and rural communities? Answer: The policy deploys well-equipped Agro-Rangers and uses aerial drone surveillance along agricultural corridors to detect and neutralize security threats on farmlands. Q23: What is your policy on cattle grazing, grazing routes and livestock management so that herders can raise livestock without destroying farmers' crops? Answer: My plan transitions Nigeria from open grazing to modern livestock management and commercial ranching, offering designated livestock corridors, water points, and veterinary services within commercial feedlots.

Q24: How will you prevent farmer-herder disputes from becoming ethnic or religious conflicts, and what role should federal, state and community authorities play in resolving them? Answer: My policy enforces strict rule of law by treating violent crimes as criminal acts regardless of ethnicity, assigning intelligence to federal agencies, operational policing to states, and early- warning dispute resolution to community authorities. Q25: Kidnapping, terrorism and armed attacks have affected communities in places such as Zamfara, Borno and other parts of Nigeria for years. What will you do differently to make these communities safe? Answer: I am advocating for constitutional restructuring to allow State and Local Community Policing, expanding security force recruitment, deploying advanced satellite/drone surveillance, and conducting intelligence-driven counter-insurgency operations.

Recent developments in the country has seen a growing tendency of state governments exerting influence in distorting the modalities of enthroning traditional stools. It is a reality that stares us in the face from every corner of the country. While it is understandable that the institutions of traditional rulership is in the exclusive purview of the state government, although through the local government authorities, it must be established that traditional institutions constitute a component of our governance structure. And thus, traditional institutions must be protected from the arbitrariness of state governments that threaten their stability. When the structure of ascension of traditional rulers is unstable, it will become equally difficult to maintain peace and orderliness in communities. Although our constitution, in its current format, does not ascribe any recognition to traditional institutions, yet our experiences show clearly that they perform enormous roles in the economic life of their domains, as well as maintenance of peace and security in communities.

The judgment of the Supreme Court earlier today affirming fiscal autonomy to local government councils in the country is a win for the people of Nigeria. The court’s ruling is a step in the right direction and a major corrective action in greasing the wheels of national development across the country. The decision by the Federal Government to consolidate disbursements of local councils’ revenues into the state government accounts was a decision that was borne out of politics of hasty compromise. I align with the decision of the Supreme Court that the structure of the Nigerian government is portioned in three layers, and of these, the local governments should be centres of development. I also share the belief that fiscal autonomy to the local governments should not be limited to revenues from the Federation Accounts, but indeed, should apply to Internally Generated Revenue from the respective local government authorities.

2. Strengthen fiscal federalism and revenue allocation. We will reform the revenue-sharing system to give states a greater share of national resources and stronger incentives to develop their local economies. ● Expand and strengthen the derivation principle to include solid minerals and hydropower, ensuring producing states benefit more directly 3. Devolve powers to states for more effective governance. We will move key responsibilities from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent and residual levels, allowing states to take greater control over critical sectors. ● Transfer greater authority to states in areas such as policing, prisons, and railways ● Decentralize control over mines, minerals, oil fields, and natural gas, with clear national standards and safeguards ● Allow states to manage areas such as business registration, drugs and narcotics control, and criminal identification systems ●

7. Promote responsible resource control with national balance. States will have greater control over natural resources within their territories, while contributing fairly to the federation through taxes and royalties. This will drive local development while preserving national cohesion. Details: ● Amend relevant laws, including the Petroleum Act, Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, Land Use Act, and Petroleum Profit Tax Act, to enable states to manage and benefit more directly from their natural resources ● Require states to remit agreed taxes or royalties to the federal government to maintain national balance and shared responsibility ● Encourage states to develop resource-based industries, including processing and value addition, rather than relying solely on extraction ● Establish clear regulatory frameworks to ensure environmental protection, transparency, and accountability in resource management 8. Promote the inclusion of women, youths, and persons with disabilities in governance. We will ensure that vulnerable and underrepresented groups are meaningfully included in political appointments, decision-making processes, and elective offices, with clear policies and institutional support to make inclusion a reality, not just a promise.