INEC confirms Yahaya Bello as APC Kogi Central candidate

The Independent National Electoral Commission has listed former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, as the All Progressives Congress candidate for Kogi Central in the 2027 senatorial election.

Bello, 51, is among 42 candidates cleared to contest the three senatorial seats in Kogi State, according to the final list signed by INEC Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony.

The commission’s document contains the candidates’ names, political parties, ages, gender and academic qualifications for Kogi Central, Kogi East and Kogi West.

For Kogi Central, Bello will face 10 other candidates, including the incumbent senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Others are Suzan Jagbadi of the Accord; Muhammad Jatto of the African Action Congress; Babalawale Habib of the Action Peoples Party; Ogembe Salau Ahmed of the African Democratic Congress; Muhammed Aminu of the All Progressives Grand Alliance; Suleiman Isah of the Allied Peoples Movement; Salau Muritala Audu of the National Democratic Coalition; Onuja Umar Sunday of the Peoples Redemption Party; and Bashir Yusuf of the Social Democratic Party.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is seeking another term, is listed with qualifications including a First School Leaving Certificate, Senior School Certificate Examination and Bachelor of Laws degree.

Bello’s inclusion in the final list ends months of uncertainty surrounding his bid for the senatorial seat, following questions raised during the party’s screening and opposition from some groups within the Kogi APC.

The Kogi APC Renaissance Forum had earlier opposed his emergence, warning that the former governor lacked sufficient grassroots support and that imposing him as the party’s candidate could jeopardise the APC’s chances in the district.

Despite the controversy, Bello was cleared by the APC screening committee and subsequently secured the party’s ticket at its primary election.

He reportedly won the primary by a wide margin, recording 72,399 votes across the five local government areas in Kogi Central. His closest rival, Ibrahim Yakubu Adoke, polled 319 votes, while Momoh Yusuf Obaro received 188 votes.

The INEC list also contains 17 candidates for Kogi East, including Ameh Erico Joseph of the APC, Ochija Berikisu of the Democracy for the Liberation of Africa, Ojogbane Paul Ilemona of the National Democratic Party and Muhammed Abdullahi of the PDP.

Kogi West has 14 candidates, among them Karimi Sunday of the APC, Musa Ibrahim Ahmadu of the ADC and Yusuf Ayo Tajudeen of the PDP.

Across the three senatorial districts, the candidates’ ages range from 36 to 73.

The document also indicates that none of the 42 candidates declared a person living with disability, with the relevant column marked “None” throughout the list.