History often remembers those who dared to challenge the impossible. In the political landscape of Kogi State, the rise of Alhaji Yahaya Bello remains one of the most talked-about examples of courage, resilience and unwavering determination.
In 2015, when Yahaya Bello declared his intention to contest for the governorship of Kogi State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), many political observers dismissed his ambition as unrealistic. At the time, the contest featured an array of highly experienced political heavyweights, former governors, serving and former senators, former deputy governors, former ministers, accomplished technocrats, and influential party leaders, many of whom possessed extensive political structures, financial strength and years of electoral experience.
Against this formidable field stood Yahaya Bello, one of the youngest aspirants in the race. To many critics, he was merely participating to gain political experience. Few believed he could compete on equal footing with politicians who had spent decades occupying strategic public offices and commanding enormous political influence across Kogi State.
Yet, where many saw impossibility, Yahaya Bello saw opportunity.
Driven by conviction rather than intimidation, he purchased the APC nomination form and entered the race with remarkable confidence. Throughout the campaign, he travelled extensively across the state, engaging delegates, articulating his vision, and presenting himself as the face of generational change within Kogi politics.
When the APC governorship primary election was eventually conducted in August 2015, the outcome surprised many political analysts. Yahaya Bello secured 703 delegate votes, finishing second only to Prince Abubakar Audu, who polled 1,109 votes in a contest involving nearly thirty aspirants.
For many observers, that result was more than a numerical achievement. It demonstrated that a relatively younger politician, without having occupied the highest elective offices in the state, could earn substantial confidence within his party despite competing against some of the most established political figures in Kogi State.
The events that followed further altered the course of the state’s political history. Following the unfortunate passing of the APC’s governorship candidate, Prince Abubakar Audu, before the conclusion of the election process, the party nominated Yahaya Bello as its replacement in accordance with the prevailing legal and party processes. He subsequently contested the supplementary election and emerged as Governor of Kogi State, becoming one of Nigeria’s youngest governors at the time.
This journey illustrates a timeless lesson: courage is not the absence of obstacles but the determination to confront them. Yahaya Bello’s political rise is often cited as evidence that persistence, self-belief and resilience can enable an individual to compete successfully against seemingly insurmountable odds.
Whether viewed from the perspective of political strategy or leadership ambition, his emergence in 2015 remains a significant chapter in Kogi State’s democratic history, one that continues to inspire discussions about courage, preparation, perseverance and the willingness to pursue a vision even when success appears unlikely.
– Comrade Danfulani Lukman Ohinoyi writes from Okene.
