The internal crisis within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State has intensified after senatorial aspirant Momoh Yusuf Obaro challenged former governor Yahaya Bello’s emergence as the party’s candidate for Kogi Central in court.
Mr Obaro, who contested the APC senatorial primary against Mr Bello, has disputed the conduct and outcome of the May 18 primary, alleging irregularities in the process and questioning Mr Bello’s eligibility to participate.
The legal challenge comes after the APC declared Mr Bello winner of the primary. The party’s returning officer, Sadiq Mohammed, said Mr Bello secured 72,399 votes, while Ibrahim Yakubu Adoke polled 319 and Mr Obaro 188.
Mr Obaro had previously petitioned the APC National Working Committee, alleging that the primary was marred by procedural breaches, violence against his agents and irregularities in the collation of results.
He also questioned Mr Bello’s participation, claiming that the former governor had not been properly cleared by the party’s screening committee.
The dispute follows conflicting reports over Mr Bello’s screening status before the primary. At one stage, a document circulating within the party listed him as “not cleared”, although the APC subsequently confirmed that he had been cleared to contest.
Mr Bello ultimately secured the party ticket and was subsequently listed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the APC candidate for Kogi Central ahead of the 2027 National Assembly elections.
The former governor’s candidacy has also attracted attention because he is currently facing separate criminal proceedings brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.
Mr Obaro’s latest legal action now places the APC’s Kogi Central ticket before the courts, potentially prolonging the dispute over who should represent the party in the 2027 senatorial election.
The development adds another layer to the political contest in Kogi Central, where Mr Bello is expected to face incumbent Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who has secured her party’s ticket.
The court’s eventual decision will determine whether Mr Obaro’s challenge affects the status of the APC’s nomination or whether Mr Bello’s candidacy remains intact.
