Former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has reportedly been denied clearance to participate in the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary screening in Kogi State after he allegedly failed to appear before the party’s screening panel.

The development was contained in a list of screened APC senatorial aspirants reportedly issued from the Kogi State Secretariat of the ruling party.

Conflicting Reports Over Clearance Status

The latest development comes amid conflicting accounts, as earlier reports had indicated that Bello was among aspirants cleared by the APC screening committee for the Kogi Central senatorial race.

That earlier list reportedly placed him among 17 aspirants approved for the party’s primaries scheduled for Monday.

However, fresh claims suggest a reversal of that position following the screening exercise.

Allegations Of Non-Appearance At Screening

Party sources quoted in local reports alleged that the former governor did not appear before the screening panel, leading to his disqualification from the process.

One source claimed Bello “didn’t participate in the screening exercise” and was therefore not cleared to proceed.

Another source also alleged that his absence may be linked to concerns surrounding ongoing legal and corruption-related proceedings, although no official confirmation has been issued by the party.

The APC is yet to release a formal clarification on the status of the former governor’s clearance.

Senate Ambition Amid Legal Controversy

Bello is seeking the APC ticket to contest for Kogi Central Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections, where he is expected to face the incumbent senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

His political comeback bid has continued to attract attention due to ongoing corruption trials before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting him in separate cases involving allegations of money laundering, criminal breach of trust and diversion of public funds.

He has, however, consistently denied all allegations and maintained his plea of not guilty.

Uncertainty Still Surrounds APC List

As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official confirmation from the APC National Secretariat regarding Bello’s final screening status, leaving room for uncertainty within the party’s Kogi structure.