Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has reportedly been disqualified from participating in the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary screening in Kogi State after he failed to appear before the party’s screening panel.
According to reports from the APC Kogi State secretariat, Bello’s name was absent from the list of aspirants cleared for the exercise. Party sources disclosed that his disqualification was linked to his failure to attend the mandatory screening process.
It was gathered from party insiders that Bello’s absence may be connected to concerns surrounding ongoing criminal investigations and court cases involving him. One source alleged that the screening form required aspirants to disclose any pending criminal matters, which may have influenced his decision not to participate in the exercise.
Further reports suggest that the presence of anti-graft officials around the screening venue may have contributed to his decision to stay away, prompting him to travel to Lagos instead.
The former governor is currently facing multiple corruption-related charges filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). These include allegations of large-scale money laundering and misappropriation of public funds during his tenure as governor.
In one of the cases, he is accused of involvement in the alleged diversion of over ₦80 billion, while another case involves accusations relating to over ₦110 billion said to have been mismanaged alongside other defendants. The EFCC has alleged that the funds were siphoned through various accounts and used for personal acquisitions, including properties within and outside Nigeria.
Court proceedings in the ongoing trials have seen testimonies from bank officials and other witnesses regarding alleged suspicious financial transactions.
Despite the legal challenges, Bello has been pursuing a bid to contest for the Kogi Central Senatorial District seat, though his ambition continues to attract public and political scrutiny due to the unresolved allegations against him.
