INEC Releases Final Senatorial Candidate List, Names Yahaya Bello as APC Candidate for Kogi Central

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released its final list of candidates for the Kogi Central, Kogi East and Kogi West senatorial districts ahead of the January 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections.

The list, signed by INEC Secretary Rose Oriaran-Anthony, contains 42 candidates contesting the three senatorial seats. It includes the candidates’ names, political parties, ages, genders and academic qualifications.

Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, is listed as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Kogi Central. Bello, aged 51, will contest the seat alongside candidates from other political parties, including Accord, the African Action Congress, the Action Peoples Party, the African Democratic Congress, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, the Allied Peoples Movement, the National Democratic Coalition, the Peoples Redemption Party and the Social Democratic Party.

The list also includes incumbent Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is seeking re-election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Her listed qualifications include a First School Leaving Certificate, Senior School Certificate Examination and a Bachelor of Laws degree.

Bello’s emergence as the APC candidate followed a period of internal controversy, including concerns raised by the Kogi APC Renaissance Forum over his alleged grassroots support and the possible effect of his candidacy on the party’s chances.

Reports also indicated that Bello faced questions during the screening process. However, the APC screening committee eventually cleared him and other aspirants from the three senatorial districts.

Bello subsequently won the APC primary election for Kogi Central with 72,399 votes across the five local government areas in the district. He defeated Ibrahim Yakubu Adoke, who scored 319 votes, and Momoh Yusuf Obaro, who received 188 votes.

In Kogi East, 17 candidates are listed for the senatorial contest. They include Ameh Erico Joseph of the APC, Ochija Berikisu of the Democracy for the Liberation of Africa, Ojogbane Paul Ilemona of the National Democratic Party and Muhammed Abdullahi of the PDP.

Kogi West has 14 candidates, including Karimi Sunday of the APC, Musa Ibrahim Ahmadu of the African Democratic Congress and Yusuf Ayo Tajudeen of the PDP.

According to the published list, none of the candidates across the three senatorial districts is registered as a person living with a disability. The candidates’ ages range from 36 to 73 years.