The All Progressives Congress (APC) has cleared former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, alongside several other aspirants, to participate in the party’s senatorial primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The screening exercise, conducted by the APC National Assembly screening committee, approved 17 senatorial aspirants from Kogi State’s three senatorial districts to contest in the primary election scheduled for Monday. Among those cleared are Yahaya Bello and Senator Sunday Karimi, who currently represents Kogi West in the National Assembly.
Yahaya Bello is seeking the APC ticket for the Kogi Central Senatorial District, a move that has generated significant political attention in the state due to his continued influence within the party and Kogi politics generally.
Reports over the past several months had indicated growing support among some political stakeholders and supporters urging the former governor to contest for the Senate seat.
The former governor, who served as Kogi State governor from 2016 to 2024, remains one of the most influential figures within the APC structure in the state. His political alliance with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has also strengthened his position ahead of the party primaries.
The APC primaries are expected to determine the party’s candidates for the Senate seats across the state, with party members preparing for intense contests in several constituencies as influential political figures seek tickets for the upcoming elections.