How Bello’s health insurance programme touched thousands of ordinary Kogites, and why his supporters want that record taken to the Senate
As the 2027 Senate race gathers momentum in Kogi Central, the record of former Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello, in healthcare is emerging as a major part of the argument for his candidacy.
According to the Kogi State Health Insurance Agency’s achievement report, 112,163 residents enrolled and benefited from healthcare services under the scheme within two years. More significantly, 79,005 vulnerable residents received free healthcare coverage, bringing medical services closer to citizens who could otherwise struggle with the cost of treatment.
The programme also recorded 184 successful surgeries over three years, while more than 500 live births were recorded between 2021 and 2023. Meanwhile, 79 health facilities were accredited across the state, expanding access to healthcare within communities.
For ordinary Kogites, these figures represent more than government statistics. They represent families relieved of medical expenses, patients who received treatment, mothers who accessed healthcare and vulnerable citizens who gained a pathway to quality medical services.
The Bello-Care initiative further strengthened the intervention by guaranteeing access to healthcare services for eligible beneficiaries.
As Yahaya Bello seeks to represent Kogi Central in the Senate in 2027, Kogi Central residents are presenting this record as evidence of a leadership philosophy centred on practical impact rather than promises.
Their message to voters is straightforward: a leader who expanded healthcare access for thousands at the state level can take that experience to Abuja and advocate stronger national policies for healthcare, social protection and the wellbeing of ordinary Nigerians.
For the 112,163 beneficiaries, therefore, the Bello health insurance story is not simply a campaign slogan. It is a record of service, and one of the reasons his supporters believe he deserves another opportunity to serve, this time in the Senate.
– Comrade Danfulani Lukman Ohinoyi,
Public Affairs Analyst
