May 18, (THEWILL) — Former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has emerged as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Kogi Central Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 general elections, following a sweeping victory in the party’s primary election held on Monday.
The direct primary election was conducted across the five local government areas that make up the senatorial district, with Bello recording overwhelming victories in all councils to secure what party officials described as a resounding mandate from party members.
Announcing the results at the collation centre in Okene, the Returning Officer for the exercise, Sadiq Mohammed, said the election was peaceful, orderly, and credible, reflecting the party’s commitment to transparency and internal democracy.
According to the official results, Bello polled a total of 72,399 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Ibrahim Adoke, who garnered 319 votes, while Momoh Yusuf Obaro secured 188 votes.
A breakdown of the results showed that the former governor dominated the contest across the district’s five local government areas. In Adavi Local Government Area, Bello secured 18,341 votes, while he polled 10,298 votes in Ajaokuta Local Government Area.
He also recorded 5,146 votes in Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area, further consolidating his commanding lead in the race.
In Okehi Local Government Area, Bello scored 8,943 votes, while his strongest showing came from Okene Local Government Area, where he secured 29,621 votes.
Mohammed stated that the cumulative total of 72,399 votes represented a clear and decisive endorsement of Bello by APC members across Kogi Central.
He noted that the successful conduct of the exercise demonstrated the party’s determination to deepen democratic participation and ensure peaceful political engagement during its internal electoral processes.
The victory positions Bello as the APC flagbearer for the Kogi Central Senatorial seat in the 2027 National Assembly election, setting the stage for what is expected to be a keenly contested race in the district.
Party supporters who gathered at the collation centre in Okene celebrated the announcement of the results, describing Bello’s emergence as a reflection of confidence in his leadership credentials and political experience.
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