Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Assembly Screening Committee has cleared former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello to contest the party’s senatorial primary for Kogi Central Senatorial District, despite the fact that he is currently standing trial for multiple money laundering and corruption charges filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The committee also approved 17 other aspirants across Kogi State’s three senatorial districts for the primaries scheduled for Monday, May 18 2026. Among those cleared is Senator Sunday Karimi, who represents Kogi West and emerged as the consensus candidate after a stakeholders’ meeting chaired by Governor Usman Ododo.
Bello, whose eligibility had been the subject of intense speculation in recent days, was officially confirmed after his name appeared as number 13 on the list of cleared aspirants for the Kogi Central Senatorial District race. The former governor is expected to battle Momoh Yusuf Obaro and Ibrahim Yakubu Adoke for the party’s ticket. If he secures the nomination, Bello will face incumbent Senator Natasha Akpoti‑Uduaghan, widely regarded as one of the most outspoken lawmakers in the National Assembly, in what is already shaping up to be one of the most closely watched senatorial contests in the country ahead of the 2027 general election.
Bello is currently facing two separate criminal cases filed by the EFCC. In the first case, the anti‑graft agency is prosecuting him on a 19‑count charge of criminal breach of trust and money laundering amounting to a total of N80.2 billion, before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja. The EFCC alleges that Bello, who governed Kogi State from 2016 to 2024, used five proxies to acquire 13 choice properties in highbrow areas of Abuja and Dubai as part of a scheme to launder funds diverted from the Kogi State treasury. In the second case, the EFCC filed a 16‑count charge against Bello and two co‑defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, accusing them of diverting N110.4 billion belonging to Kogi State. This case is being heard by Justice MaryAnne Anenih of the FCT High Court in Maitama, Abuja.
Bello has denied all allegations and pleaded not guilty in both trials, insisting that he is innocent and that the cases are politically motivated. His defence counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN), has previously argued that his client is facing a political trial and not genuine money laundering charges.
Bello’s decision to seek the Senate seat has generated intense public debate because of his ongoing corruption trial. Critics argue that allowing a politician facing such serious allegations to contest for elective office undermines public confidence in the fight against corruption. Some youths from Kogi Central Senatorial District had earlier expressed concern over Bello’s alleged absence from the mandatory screening process, warning the APC leadership against granting preferential treatment to any aspirant. However, supporters of the former governor maintain that under Nigerian law, every citizen is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of law, and the EFCC itself has previously acknowledged that Bello remains legally innocent until the court reaches a verdict.
The APC screening committee’s decision to clear Bello despite his ongoing trials reflects the party’s reliance on the presumption of innocence as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution. The committee did not issue a statement explaining its decision, but party sources indicated that the screening focused on verifying the aspirants’ membership status, tax compliance, and other administrative criteria, rather than on pending criminal cases, which are matters for the judiciary. The clearance sets the stage for a high‑stakes political showdown in Kogi Central, where Bello remains a dominant figure with significant influence among party loyalists and supporters.
Meanwhile, in Kogi West, incumbent Senator Sunday Karimi emerged as the consensus candidate, although six other aspirants, including former senator Smart Adeyemi and Aro Bamidele, were also cleared by the committee. In Kogi East, seven aspirants were cleared to contest the APC primary, including incumbent Senator Isah Echocho, Joseph Ameh and Murtala Ajaka. With the primaries now set to proceed, the APC is hoping to present a unified front in Kogi State, but the controversy surrounding Bello’s clearance is likely to continue to dominate political discourse in the state and beyond.
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