By: Goodluck E. Adubazi.
A purported political scheme aimed at undermining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 senatorial primaries in Kogi West Senatorial District has allegedly been uncovered, according to sources within the party.
Party insiders claim that opposition elements, working in collaboration with influential figures in the state, are attempting to influence the selection of the APC senatorial candidate in the district. At the center of the alleged plan is the sudden entry into the race by former member of the House of Representatives, Samuel Aro.
Aro, who represented his constituency in the Sixth National Assembly between 2007 and 2011, is reportedly a close associate of businessman Tunde Ayeni, who has been linked in political circles with the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Sources familiar with the alleged scheme say the plan is to persuade the national leadership of the APC to award the party’s senatorial ticket to Aro.
The current senator representing the district, Sunday Karimi, is widely regarded by supporters as having performed credibly and as maintaining strong support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to the claims, once nominated as the APC candidate, Aro would allegedly work to support the presidential candidate of the ADC during the 2027 elections.
Political observers say former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is widely expected to emerge as a leading contender for the ADC presidential ticket.
Party sources further alleged that the plan was discussed during private meetings held in Abuja residences linked to a former governor of Kogi State and his successor.
The alleged strategy is said to target the political base of APC in Kogi West Senatorial District, where six of the seven local government areas are predominantly Okun-Yoruba and historically supportive of President Tinubu and the ruling party.
Analysts say any internal division in the district could weaken the APC’s influence across the state in the 2027 general elections.
The senatorial district voted overwhelmingly for Tinubu during the 2023 Nigerian presidential election, reinforcing its status as one of the party’s key support bases in the state.
Businessman Tunde Ayeni has previously been linked with several political activities during the era of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
He reportedly played a role in political fundraising efforts prior to the 2015 Nigerian general election, when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost power at the federal level.
Ayeni also faced scrutiny from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over business dealings connected with the defunct Skye Bank Plc, though opposition figures have argued the investigations were politically motivated.
Aro last contested an election in 2019 as the running mate to PDP governorship candidate Musa Wada. Sources claim he initially resisted entering the current senatorial race but later agreed after financial backing was allegedly offered.
According to insiders, a political rally held in Isanlu, headquarters of Yagba East Local Government Area, and attended by Governor Usman Ododo and former governor Yahaya Bello, was used to test public reaction to Aro’s reported defection to the APC.
Questions have also been raised in political circles about Aro’s eligibility to contest in 2027 due to his company’s involvement in the widely reported 2014 Nigerian fuel subsidy scandal.
His firm, ASB Investment Limited, was indicted in connection with the subsidy probe and later entered into a plea arrangement with the Federal Government to refund funds.
Legal analysts note that while plea bargains resolve criminal cases, they do not necessarily equate to full exoneration.
Investigations suggest the alleged scheme may also be tied to longstanding political tensions between the camp of former governor Yahaya Bello and the presidency.
Political observers trace the rivalry back to the controversial aftermath of the 2015 Kogi State governorship election following the death of APC candidate Abubakar Audu, when Bello eventually emerged governor ahead of Audu’s running mate, James Faleke, who was believed to have the backing of Tinubu.
Political Observers say lingering political mistrust between the camps resurfaced during the APC presidential primaries leading to the 2023 election.
As political maneuvering intensifies ahead of the 2027 cycle, party insiders warn that internal divisions within the ruling party could shape the outcome of the contest in Kogi West and beyond.
– Goodluck E. Adubazi writes from Abuja.
