Former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has been cleared by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to participate in the party’s primary election for the Kogi Central Senatorial District, putting to rest speculations that he had not been screened by the party.
Bello, alongside two other aspirants in the zone and 14 others from Kogi West and East, was confirmed cleared ahead of the APC primary scheduled to hold on Monday.
Among those cleared to contest the ticket with the former governor is the APC Diaspora Secretary, Momoh Obaro, while the third aspirant, Ibrahim Yakubu Adoke, is also expected to slug it out in the keenly anticipated exercise.
The development follows days of political tension and widespread rumours within party circles suggesting that Bello’s screening process may have encountered complications due to his ongoing fraudulent charges and trial with the EFCC, thereby raising doubts over his eligibility for the contest.
However, fresh information from the party has now confirmed that the former governor successfully scaled the screening process and remains firmly in the race for the APC senatorial ticket.
Party stakeholders in Kogi Central described the clearance as a major boost to preparations for Monday’s primary, which is expected to attract significant political attention across the state owing to Bello’s political influence and the calibre of aspirants participating in the exercise.
Observers believe Bello’s emergence in the race has further heightened political activities within the district, with supporters already mobilising ahead of the primary election.
The APC is expected to conduct the primary in line with the party’s electoral guidelines, after which the winner will fly the party’s flag in the Kogi Central Senatorial contest against the PDP candidate, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.