Former Kogi state governor Yahaya Bello voiced his ambition Monday to seek a senatorial position in the 2027 elections, responding to pleas from allies and community figures during a gathering in his native central district.
Bello, who led the north-central state from 2016 to 2024, made the declaration at the palace of the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, flanked by current Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo and other traditional and political leaders.
“I accept to run for the Senate in 2027,” Bello stated in a video of the event posted to his official Facebook account.
Ododo, Bello’s successor and a fellow member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), urged him to heed the “calls from party leaders and constituents” to contest the Kogi Central seat, emphasizing the need for strong representation in the national assembly.
Amoka Eneji, chairman of Okehi local government area, hailed Bello’s move, saying his “leadership would always stand out in the history of Ebiraland” for fostering unity and development among the Ebira people.
Bello remains an influential figure in Kogi’s APC faction, having handed over power to Ododo last year after two terms marked by infrastructure projects and political controversies.
The Kogi Central senatorial district is currently represented by Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, a lawyer who became the first female senator from the area after her 2023 victory.
