Udom assented to the bill after it was presented to him by Attorney General of the State, Uko Udom, in the presence of the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Aniekan Bassey at the Government House in Uyo.

Akwa Ibom now joins Rivers, Bayelsa, Oyo, Ekiti, Abia, Lagos and Enugu as states with anti-open grazing legislation. It is the eighth state in southern Nigeria to enact the law.

Relevant authorities of government have been directed to ensure the law is enforced in the state by Governor Udom who also stated that culprits must be brought to book.

It was gathered that the meeting, which would hold eight weeks after the governors met in Asaba, the Delta State capital, would further assess decisions taken in Asaba on the open grazing ban, restructuring, fiscal federalism and the call for state police.

The governors would be hosted by Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the meeting which would start by 10 am today (Monday).

Aside from the host governor, others expected at the meeting are Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Emmanuel Udom (Akwa Ibom), Diri Duoye (Bayelsa), Willie Obiano (Anambra), Ben Ayade (Cross Rivers), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), David Umahi (Ebonyi), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Hope Uzodimma (Imo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Adegboyega Oyetola (Osun), Oluwaseyi Makinde (Oyo), and Nyesom Wike (Rivers).