Why Moro LGA May Not Be Part of Kwara North Agenda for 2027
As political permutations intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections in Kwara State, a stakeholder from Moro Local Government Area, Kwara North Senatorial District, Dr. Abolaji Afolabi, has raised concerns over what he described as the continued marginalisation of Moro people in power-sharing arrangements within the zone.
Dr. Afolabi, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine with a postgraduate certificate in Public Health and President/CEO of Bolaniks Consult Nigeria Limited, expressed his views in an interview while speaking on the unfolding political alignments in Kwara North.
According to him, while there have been speculations that Kwara North has unanimously agreed to produce the next governor in 2027, such claims are misleading as Moro, the Yoruba-speaking bloc in the zone, has not been carried along in the discussions.
“Kwara North is made up of five local governments and four major tribes: Baruteen, Kaiama, Patigi, Edu and Moro. Baruteen and Kaiama are Baruten/Bokobaru-speaking, Patigi and Edu are Nupe-speaking, while Moro is Yoruba-speaking. Despite Moro being highly populated, it has been sidelined in political arrangements,” Afolabi said.
He stressed that fairness and inclusivity are critical if the zone truly wants to secure the governorship seat in 2027. “From 1999 till date, all the other four local government areas have produced senators and House of Representatives members, except Moro. Currently, Kaiama holds the senatorial seat, while Baruteen, Edu, and Patigi have representation in the House of Representatives. Moro has nothing. This is not acceptable to us,” he noted.
While acknowledging that zoning is not an official policy of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Afolabi argued that equity among the diverse ethnic groups within Kwara North remains essential. He warned that failure to engage all stakeholders could derail the zone’s ambition.
“You don’t shave someone’s head in his absence. There was never a platform where we all sat to agree on who gets what. If we want to succeed, representatives of the four tribes must meet at a roundtable to fashion out a fair power-sharing formula. That’s the only way we can unite over the governorship seat,” he maintained.
On the preparedness of opposition parties, Dr. Afolabi acknowledged that other political actors are also strategising. He however emphasised that internal unity within Kwara North is paramount.
He concluded with a call for dialogue: “Kwara North is not yet united on the governorship project, but we can still be. Let us sit at a roundtable to decide. That is the only way forward if the zone truly wants to win in 2027.”
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