Many departing and former governors are getting ready to run for Senate seats in their senatorial districts as they get ready for primary elections in accordance with the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) updated schedule.
Particular discussions have focused on the announcement made in December 2025 by Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the most recent governor of Kogi State, in response to reports that his citizens had urged him to run for the position.
Despite the former governor’s heated dispute with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged money laundering, many experts believed that his type of surviving politics needed to be investigated given his apparent power among his people.
According to certain indigenous people from Kogi State, Bello was a towering political figure whose accomplishments in politics and government helped him maintain his relevance and influence inside the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to Kogi Central stakeholders, the former governor left behind enduring legacies throughout the state, which contributed to their resounding support for him ahead of the next National Assembly elections.
Many of them expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for appointing Bello to the Finance Committee for the APC’s 2026 National Convention.
As the main political gathering and upcoming elections draw near, they claim that this indicates the former governor’s continued significance inside the structure of the ruling party.
The former governor’s bid for the Senate was a “done-deal,” according to Kogi Central stakeholder Hon. Muhammad Kabir, who pointed out that other senatorial districts in the state could speak to the enormous advancements made by his administration.
He claims that because the people view the former governor’s ongoing conflict with the EFCC as political, their affection for him cannot be diminished.
“Yahaya Bello’s popularity cannot be taken away despite the fact that some people he outwitted politically want to deliberately paint him black,” Kabir stated. It makes no difference that the EFCC is in court with him. Give them a chance to slug it.
He was doing extremely well for himself, his village, Ebiraland as a whole, and Kogi State as a whole prior to becoming governor. He and I had been acquainted for twenty years. He is a kind man who makes others feel comfortable.
He has cultivated a large number of young individuals in the state and around him. He is not biased. He will listen to you and help you if you come to him. He is the type of person who will take care of you without mentioning that you are from Okun, Igala, or Ebira. Everyone is treated equally by him.
Even after leaving office, people continued to flock to former Bello’s home, according to Abdulmajeed Adam, another Ebira native who lives in Abuja but casts ballots in Ajaokuta.
“His house is usually filled with people every day, even though this is Ramadan,” he said. People who are close to him claim that he sleeps between one and four in the morning since he tends to guests throughout the day and long into the night.
“People wouldn’t surround him again if he was a nasty person. Just take a look at the enormous projects he completed while in office in each of the three senatorial districts. People like him for this, which is why they pushed him to run for the Senate. He is dehumanized. Although he is an Ebira man, his driver has been an Igala man for many years.
Adam stated that the residents of Kogi Central chose to ask for him to serve in the Senate after realizing the effects of his interventions in the state.
“I can state that his educational accomplishments are unparalleled. He hired 3,000 educators and raised the standard of instruction in classrooms. He renovated several schools and constructed a large number of others.
Kogi had a large number of out-of-school children prior to Alhaji Yahaya Bello taking office. However, education is now free thanks to Yahaya Bello’s initiative. He was the best governor, in my opinion, in terms of security.
Thanks to Yahaya Bello, we now have a Conference Rice Mill in Kogi. He worked in each of the three senatorial districts.
“World-class hospitals were constructed and refurbished by Yahaya Bello. He hasn’t been going overseas for medical care. I am acquainted with his personal physicians. Therefore, we are prepared to make sure that he represents us in the Senate in 2027 because he is simply a man of the people,” he stated.
Bello is a detrabilized politician whose accomplishments speak for themselves, according to Dr. Musa Bashir Adavuruku, Chief Scientific Officer at the National Space Research and Development Agency.
Regardless of one’s background—Christian or Muslim—Alhaji Yahaya Bello is a man of the people. Everyone is treated equally by him. I can give him an A, particularly in terms of his interactions with others and his accomplishments while in office.
The don stated, “The people of Kogi want him to do more for them through the Legislative Arm of Government because what they enjoyed during his time was enormous.”
Ms. Idris Asmawu Omeiza, the Country Head of Young Women of Africa, also expressed her opinions regarding Bello’s accomplishments, which have contributed to his growing influence in the state.
He was the only former governor, she claimed, who successfully elevated Kogi to national prominence.
“Alhaji Adoza Yahaya Bello brought Kogi politics and governance to the forefront, so if Kogi State ever had anything, it was him,” she stated.
Prior to Yahaya Bello’s arrival, we believed that politics was only for the elderly. However, since he became governor, we’ve learned that young Nigerians may also pursue careers in politics,” she continued.
“The Kogi State we had 20 years ago is not the Kogi State of now,” Omeiza said in reference to Bello’s enormous political significance. Because of Yahaya Bello’s security model, anyone may now move throughout Kogi State in peace.
“Yahaya Bello’s ability and inventiveness make him essential to APC. His disagreement with the EFCC is obviously political. Even the President is aware of Alhaji Yahaya Bello’s difficulty making concessions.
She added, “Don’t forget that he is among the top five young, agile, strategic, approachable, and helpful personalities APC currently has.”
Bello’s inclusion on the National Convention Committee of the APC was not unexpected, according to Nuhu Philip, another important district leader.
Beyond the controversy surrounding his conflict with the EFCC, Bello is a powerful and influential figure in both the APC and national politics.
This merely serves to confirm and reaffirm Bello’s increasing power inside the APC and his support for President Bola Tinubu’s political agenda. He declared, “This is a man who traveled the entire length and breadth of this nation mobilizing support for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s eventual victory as President of Nigeria.”
Other influential commentators referred to Bello as “a political war general” who is today loved and supported by the Kogi people.
“His people respect and support him even though he is no longer in charge in Kogi State. Such an individual cannot be dismissed by any political party that is serious about winning elections. Let Alhaji Yahaya Bello handle electoral tactics.
He commands a strong structure as a performer in office, which has been established through years of party domination, executive authority, and calculated patronage.
“By 2027, Bello’s political apparatus will still be strong, well-established, and shown to be capable of maintaining power and regaining control in Kogi Central. Paul Edime, a political scientist, said, “I refer to him as a political war general.”
Strong voices in Kogi State’s political community disclosed that Bello is a valuable member of the national APC and has enormous power.
The senatorial candidate was referred to be a “master strategist and election planner” by a Kogi Central Peoples Democratic Party leader who wished to remain anonymous for personal reasons.
Despite not belonging to the same political party as his, I am aware that Alhaji Yahaya Bello led the Renewed Hope in 2023 and made a significant contribution to President Bola Tinubu’s victory.
Alhaji Bello will therefore continue to be important, prominent, and productive in Nigeria’s democratic processes due to his wisdom and insight, he stated.
Regarding Bello’s desire to run for Kogi Central Senatorial, the politician merely stated, “It is a done-deal.” He is adored by his people. Since they have faith in him and his accomplishments speak for him, they actually pleaded with him to come save them. Alhaji Yahaya Bello would run on a platform of just upholding morality and following the rules of customary election procedures.
“Once he enters the Senate, he will significantly and favorably impact Kogi Central’s and Nigeria’s overall fortunes.”
“For me, Alhaji Yahaya Bello is a key player in the Nigerian project,” stated Suleiman, a university instructor in the state. His initiatives in Kogi State have demonstrated his enthusiasm for seeing Nigeria flourish.
Despite the limited resources available to the state at the time, he is the architect of modern Kogi State. These admirable traits are undoubtedly what his party and the public find appealing about him.
Clement Udah, another native, praised the former governor for “making Kogi State proud,” claiming that his political actions had forced the state to be taken seriously by national authorities.
Bello was a disciplined political leader with a long-lasting political infrastructure, according to Udah. He claimed that since the senatorial candidate entered politics many years ago, he had improved Kogi politics and changed administration.
“It is regrettable that certain individuals have used politics as a means of extortion and unwarranted persecution. If Alhaji Yahaya Bello’s life story had not shown exceptional discipline, diligence, and selfless dedication to the public, he would have been forgotten long ago.
“There is a reward for mobility and integrity, as evidenced by the fact that he is rising higher every day in national politics.”
