…Say equity, justice, fairness make this demand imperative

Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State have appealed to aspirants vying for the House of Representatives’ seat of the Edu/Moro/Patigi federal constituency in the 2027 election, particularly from the Edu Local Government Area, to concede the slot to their area.

They hinged their demand on the fact that it is only the Moro local government area that has not been allowed to occupy that position out of the three local government areas of Edu, Moro and Patigi for the past 28 years since the inception of democracy in 1999.

The stakeholders in a statement signed by Mallam Kareem Suleiman, for and on behalf of the people of Moro local government area, also backed the zoning of the governorship seat of the State to the Kwara North Senatorial District in 2027.

Advancing further reasons why Moro LGA should be considered for the House of Representatives’ seat, Sulaiman said: “Besides Moro local government area in the Kwara North Senatorial District, there are four other Local Government Councils of Baruten, Edu, Kaiama and Patigi. The Senatorial District also has two federal constituencies of Baruten/Kaiama and Edu/Moro/Patigi.

“Moro Local Government is in Edu/Moro/Patigi Federal Constituency in Kwara State, and since the inception of the present democratic governance in 1999, the four local governments of Baruten, Kaiama, Edu and Patigi have been rotating the senatorial seat between Baruten/Kaiama local governments on one side and Edu/Patigi on the other.

“Moro local government has therefore been sidelined and isolated in the adopted rotational scheme, while it has also not been allowed to go to the Senate.

“This is much unlike each of the other four local governments, which, within themselves, have gone to the Senate at one time or another in the past and presently.

“In a similar vein, for the Edu/Moro/Patigi Federal Constituency, both Edu and Patigi local governments would have between themselves produced Candidates for the House of Representatives Seat for 16 and 12 years respectively by 2027.”

He listed those who have occupied the seats in the past, including the late Rt. Hon. Engr. Yahaya Yinusa, from Edu Local Government (1999-2007), late Rt. Hon. Bahago Hamman Pategi, from Patigi Local Government (2007-2019), Rt. Hon. Ahmed Ndakene, from Edu Local Government (2019-2023) and Rt. Hon. Dr Adam Ahmad Saba from Edu Local Government (2023-2027).

While supporting the call for zoning of governorship seat to Kwara n6orth, the statement added: “In the same vein and in view of the fact that the two scenarios are quite similar and the doctrine that ‘those who call for equity, should come with clean hands’, we hereby unequivocally call on the Leadership of the APC, both at the State and National levels, to zone the 2027 Seat for Edu/Moro/Patigi Federal Constituency to Moro Local Government.

“This should be in the overall interest of natural justice, equity, fairness and the demonstration of the sense of unity and inclusivity in governance, to the people of Moro local government.”