The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), a Fulani sociocultural organisation, says Fulani herdsmen need money more than aspirants jostling to pick the presidential ticket of their parties.
The association declared that it would not spend its members’ hard-earned funds to purchase exorbitant nomination forms for any presidential hopeful. It said it was more interested in knowing what the country’s potential presidents have in their manifestos.
The MACBAN’s national secretary, Baba Ngelzarma, stated this in a statement on Monday.
“As an association, we have far higher needs for money to assist our members being uprooted and killed in some parts of the country,” the Fulani herdsmen’s association explained. “MACBAN does not see any gain in this kind of profligate enterprise that adds no value to the million of our members who are wallowing in poverty as a result of banditry and cattle rustling.”
The statement also mentioned that MACBAN believed that politics should be left to politicians.
“We see no mileage in supporting any politician when we are overwhelmed by the crisis being faced by our members nationwide,” it stated.
According to the statement, MACBAN will, when the need arises, support a presidential candidate that shows commitment to end the suffering of Fulani herdsmen after the conclusion of various political parties’ primary elections.
“We look forward to seeing the manifestos of the various candidates and where our members fit in to determine who to fully support,” added the MACBAN statement.
The herdsmen also dismissed claims that it bought a N100 million presidential nomination form for ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.
“The attention of the national headquarters of MACBAN has been drawn to a trending story in which we are being quoted as having bought a presidential nomination form for former President Goodluck Jonathan for the 2023 elections,” it said. “We wish to make it clear that MACBAN did not and will not buy any form for any candidate contesting elections.”