Senator Abba Patrick Moro is a Nigerian educator, union leader and politician. He moved from the lecture hall to local government leadership, then to the federal cabinet and the Senate. He represents Benue South Senatorial District and currently serves as Senate Minority Leader.

Early Life and Education

Moro was born on 3 July 1956 in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State. He attended LGEA Special Primary School, Odessassa (1963 to 1969) and Emmanuel Secondary School, Ugbokolo (1969 to 1974). He then went to Federal Government College, Kano, where he earned his Higher School Certificate in 1975.

At the University of Lagos he took a B.Sc. in Political Science (1980) and an M.Sc. in Public Administration (1983).

Academic and Union Career

Moro began his career as a lecturer at Benue State Polytechnic. He served as:

• Head of the Department of General Studies (1991 to 1992)
• Head of the Department of Public Administration (1992 to 1996)
• Dean of Studies, School of Business and Administration Studies (1994 to 1996)

He was also chairman of the Benue State Polytechnic chapter of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics. He was later elected National President of the Polytechnic Senior Staff union in 1986.

Political Career

Moro entered politics in 1998 as elected Chairman of Okpokwu Local Government Council. He was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the April 2007 Benue State governorship election, which he lost. In July 2011, President Goodluck Jonathan appointed him Minister of Interior, and he served until May 2015.

In 2019 he contested the Benue South Senate seat on the PDP platform and defeated Hon. Chief Steven Lawani of the All Progressives Congress (APC), polling 85,262 votes to 47,972. He succeeded David Mark, who had held the seat for 20 years. He was re-elected in 2023 for a second term in the 10th Senate and now leads the minority caucus as Senate Minority Leader.

Constituency Projects

Moro has attracted a wide range of projects to Benue South. Some are complete and commissioned, and others are still in progress.

Okpokwu

• Healthcare centre at Okwungaga (completed)
• Drainage system in Ugbokolo (completed)
• Block of classrooms at Odessassa Primary School (completed)
• Electrification of Olaidu/Ojigo (completed)
• Rehabilitation of Eke-Ugbokolo road (completed)
• Transformer and electrification of Ichama community (ongoing)
• Lecture hall at the National Open University, Ugbokolo study centre (ongoing)

Ado

• Block of classrooms in Ogi (completed)
• Solar street lights in Igumale (completed)
• Electrification of Ikpemgbe community (95% complete)
• Healthcare centre at Apa-Agila (95% complete)
• Rehabilitation of Ekile road (90% complete)

Ogbadibo

• Rehabilitation of Ukwo-Owukpa-Itabono road (completed)
• Onyirada River bridge in Udaburu (completed)
• Transformer at Ukwo-Owukpa (completed)
• Solar street lights in Orokam (completed)
• Electrification of Ago community, Otukpa (completed)
• Three-classroom block at Obu 1 LEA Primary School, Otukpa (completed)

Obi

• Rehabilitation of Odiapa road (completed)
• Solar-powered borehole along Ogore Road, Obarike-Ito (completed)
• Hospital road, Obarike-Ito (completed)
• Solar street lights in Obarike-Ito (completed)

Oju

• Rehabilitation of Uchuo-Okpoma road (completed)
• Rehabilitation of Obusa-Adokpa road (completed)

Apa

• Block of classrooms in Oba community (completed)
• Three-classroom block at LEA Primary School, Ojantelle (completed)
• Electrification of Edikwu-Ankpali community (completed)
• Electrification of Auke community (95% complete)

Agatu

• Boreholes in Obagaji, Okokolo, Odugbeho and Ushafa (completed)
• Solar-powered street light in Okokolo (completed)
• Motorcycles distributed to Agatu youths (completed)
• Medical equipment distributed to Agatu communities (completed)

Otukpo

• Rehabilitation of Ochoga Avenue and Jamaica Street (completed)
• Transformer at the rice mill (completed)
• Igaluwa-Ugboju road (completed)
• Dual carriageway from Asa sub-station to Enugu roundabout (completed)
• Rehabilitation of Alheri Street (ongoing)

Projects in the 2022 Appropriation Act

Moro also facilitated the following projects through the 2022 Appropriation Act:

• Four Lafiya tele-health primary healthcare kiosks in selected communities
• Digital skills training for youths, with branded laptops
• Grading and laterite works on the Ihilikpa-Onyangede road, plus completion of the Ohimini River bridge
• Agricultural value chain training and empowerment with poultry, goats, pigs and other livestock
• Grading and laterite works on the Obagaji-Okokolo road (Agatu), Angwa-Otakpa road (Apa) and Entekpa road (Otukpo)
• Grading of the Alekpo/Okpafie/Ogbadibo road and works on the River Ogbadibo bridge
• Delivery warehouses for a rural outreach programme at Obekpa Efoyo, Okpokwu
• Community clinic at Agadagba and health centre at Ondo-Awume (both Ohimini), and health centre at Adenu Methodist Masses (Oju)
• Transformers and hand-pump boreholes in various communities
• Electrification of Otto community, Ogbadibo
• Completion and fencing of the lecture hall at the National Open University study centre, Ugbokolo
• Rehabilitation of a 20km road with drainage along Ikpoga-Omadewu-Eboya, Okpokwu

Legislative Work

Bills

Moro has sponsored bills on governance, welfare and development, including:

• Constitution amendment bills to give Local Governments financial and administrative autonomy, intended to bring development and governance closer to the grassroots
• A constitution amendment bill (2022) to provide for independent candidacy at all levels of elections
• A bill to establish a Families of Fallen Servicemen Support Fund, to support families of servicemen who die in the line of duty
• A bill to establish a Veteran Welfare Fund (2020)
• A bill to establish the North Central Development Commission (NCDC)
• Bills to establish the Federal University of Health Sciences, Akwete-Akpa, Otukpo, and a Federal College of Agriculture at Opialu-Ojapo, Okpokwu
• The NIMASA Act 2007 (Amendment) Bill, 2021
• The Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2019

Motions

On the floor of the Senate he has moved motions on:

• Windstorm and rainstorm disasters in Ogbadibo, Okpokwu, Otukpo and the Ai-Afam community of Owukpa
• The yellow fever outbreak in Oye-Obi Local Government Area
• Illegal and excessive bank charges on customers’ accounts
• Killings in Ado and Oju, and herdsmen and militia attacks on Echori, Itakpa, Okokolo and other communities in Agatu
• Clashes between bordering communities in Benue and Ebonyi States
• The right of awaiting-trial inmates to vote in general elections
• Pay-TV tariff hikes

Petitions

He has laid petitions from constituents on the Senate floor, including a pension withdrawal dispute with PENCOM, the killing and abduction of residents in Ado, the case of a missing police officer, and the murders of a Benue man and an Idoma journalist in Abuja.

Awards and Honours

• Best Peacemaker Award, Idoma land, Otukpo
• Award for Excellent Contribution to Education and Development, National Parents Teachers Association
• Award for Distinction in Industrial Development, NULGE Benue State chapter
• Best Performing Local Government Chairman 2001, Benue State Council of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT)

Personal Life

Senator Moro is married with children.

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