Former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello has been disqualified from participating in the All Progressives Congress, APC, senatorial primaries after failing to appear before the party’s screening panel.
According to a list of screened aspirants obtained from the Kogi State APC secretariat, Bello did not attend the exercise. Party sources said he was not cleared because he did not complete the screening process.
Bello, who is seeking the APC ticket for Kogi Central Senatorial District, is currently facing two separate corruption cases filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
One charge alleges money laundering involving ₦80.2 billion across 19 counts, while the other involves ₦110.4 billion in a 16-count charge of fraud and breach of trust. The EFCC accuses Bello and others of diverting public funds from the Kogi State treasury through private accounts and property acquisitions in Nigeria and Dubai.
Party officials said Bello’s absence was linked to a section of the APC senatorial form requiring disclosure of ongoing criminal investigations. Sources added that the EFCC had stationed operatives at the party secretariat during the screening, prompting him to stay away.
Bello has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is currently on trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja. His candidacy had drawn criticism from opposition figures, civil society groups, and some within the APC, who argued it could affect the party’s image ahead of the elections.
The former governor was declared wanted by the EFCC in 2024 but later appeared in court and was granted bail.
