••• Says beneficiary of a stolen mandate cannot visit victims on a thank-you tour; challenges Mamman to relinquish ticket and insists that Moro deserves justice, not political theatrics.
The political controversy surrounding the APC House of Representatives ticket for Edu/Moro/Patigi Federal Constituency has taken another turn, as Hussein Afolabi, Esq., an APC House of Representatives aspirant, has strongly criticised the recent Thank-You Tour undertaken by the Chairperson of Moro Local Government, Alhaja Chief Mrs Mariam Abdulwasiu Omotayo, alongside some APC candidates, particularly Mohammed Mamman.
In a strongly worded press statement, Afolabi questioned the rationale behind the tour, particularly considering the pending legal challenge to Mamman’s purported nomination as the APC candidate for the federal constituency. He stated that his objection was not to anyone visiting Moro Local Government or engaging with its people. Rather, he questioned the appropriateness of describing the visit as a Thank You Tour in the circumstances surrounding the disputed APC primary.
He stated:
“Let me make one thing clear, there is absolutely nothing wrong with any individual or political group visiting Moro Local Government. Every citizen is entitled to visit any part of the country, engage with the people and seek their support. However, to describe such a visit as a Thank You Tour is, in the circumstances surrounding the disputed APC House of Representatives primary, an unfortunate attempt to take the people of Moro for granted.”
He then posed the question that has become the central message of his reaction:
“Thank you for what, exactly? Thank you for stealing their mandate in the purported primary election? Thank you for denying them the opportunity to determine who represents them at the National Assembly?”
Addressing the controversy surrounding the APC primary conducted on 16th May 2026, Afolabi maintained that the exercise was not a valid primary election conducted in accordance with the Electoral Act 2026, the Constitution of the APC and the applicable guidelines. He described what transpired as, in his considered view, a brazen subversion of the democratic rights and votes of the good people of Moro Local Government.
According to him, the records of the purported primary speak for themselves, and interested members of the public can approach the court to obtain certified true copies of the results submitted and relied upon by the APC and Mohammed Mamman. He challenged the public to examine those records and independently assess whether the votes and political will of APC members in Moro were respected in the process that produced the purported candidate.
Emphasising the need to examine the available records, Afolabi stated:
“Let nobody mistake my position or take it merely at face value. The records speak for themselves. The evidence supporting my contention that Moro was robbed of its mandate is there for everyone to see.”
Afolabi is challenging Mamman’s purported nomination before the Federal High Court, Ilorin, in Suit No. FHC/IL/CS/107/2026.
Taking particular exception to the involvement of the Moro Local Government Chairperson, Afolabi questioned why the person entrusted with the political and administrative leadership of Moro would lead a delegation presenting the beneficiary of a disputed electoral process to the very community whose votes and political rights are at the centre of the controversy.
In one of the most striking passages of his statement, Afolabi stated:
“Put differently, the Chairperson has taken the alleged beneficiary of a stolen mandate to visit the very people who are the victims of that stolen mandate, ostensibly to thank them for what exactly? Their own political misfortune? One would struggle to find a more ironic or contradictory political spectacle.”
He further questioned the kind of political leadership being demonstrated by the Chairperson, arguing that leadership should be about standing with one’s people, particularly when their legitimate interests are at stake, rather than organising political fanfares and jamborees.
Afolabi also made a direct challenge to Mohammed Mamman, insisting that the most meaningful way to demonstrate appreciation to the good people of Moro would be to address the grievance at the very heart of the controversy. He called on Mamman to immediately relinquish the APC ticket, maintaining that he did not win the primary through a lawful and credible process. In a pointed statement directed at the purported candidate, Afolabi declared:
“If Mohammed Mamman genuinely wishes to thank the people of Moro, the first and most meaningful gesture would be to address the grievance at the very heart of this controversy. He should immediately relinquish the ticket because I maintain that he did not win the primary through a lawful and credible process. He cannot be oblivious to the serious questions surrounding the process from which he claims to have emerged.”
He maintained that the serious questions surrounding the nomination cannot be wished away through political engagements, public declarations or ceremonial visits to Moro communities.
Afolabi also commended reports of resistance to the purported Thank You Tour across different parts of Moro Local Government. He said:
“I must, however, commend the reports of resistance by our brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers across different parts of Moro Local Government. I have been reliably informed that the purported Thank You Tour was met with stiff rejection in several communities. Thank you all. These reports are not only reassuring; they also send a powerful message that Moro is not prepared to surrender its legitimate aspirations for political convenience, nor will it be easily persuaded by leaders whose actions, in our considered view, do not advance our collective interests”
He urged the people not to sacrifice their collective interests on the alter of anyone’s political convenience, urging them to remain vigilant and discerning in their engagement with political leaders. Drawing an inspiration from Matthew 7:15 of the Holy Bible, Afolabi likenened deceptive political leaders to false prophets whose outward gestures may not reflect their true intentions and commitment to the interests of the people. He stated:
“We must continue to exercise vigilance and discernment when dealing with those who approach us with flattering gestures but whose actions betray our collective interests. As the Holy Bible cautions in Matthew 7:15, we must beware of false prophets who come in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
Reaffirming his commitment to the ongoing litigation, Afolabi declared that he would continue to pursue the case diligently and exhaust every lawful avenue available within the administration of justice. He expressed confidence in the judicial institutions and firmly believes that justice would prevail. He also reiterated that Moro’s demand for an opportunity to produce its own representative at the National Assembly is a legitimate aspiration that should not be sacrificed for political expediency.
Concluding his statement with a message directed at the people of Moro, he declared:
“Moro must not be thanked for an injustice. Moro must be given justice.”
The controversy over the APC House of Representatives ticket for Edu/Moro/Patigi Federal Constituency continues to draw attention to the question of equitable political representation in Moro Local Government, while the pending proceedings before the Federal High Court remain central to the dispute.