Leaders of the Yoruba and Hausa/Fulani communities in Kogi Central Senatorial District paid a courtesy visit to former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, CON, at his residence in Abuja on Wednesday, pledging to back his senatorial ambition in the next election.
The delegations said the visit served two purposes: to thank the former governor for what they described as an inclusive and effective administration, and to formally commit their support for his run for the Senate.
Speaking on behalf of the Hausa community, the Sarki Hausawa of Ebiraland, HRM Sarkini Saleh Adamu Danladi, said Hausa communities across Kogi Central had resolved to vote for Bello as their senator, framing the endorsement as a gesture of appreciation for the peaceful coexistence fostered between the Hausa and other ethnic groups during his tenure.
Danladi also credited Bello’s administration with appointing members of the Hausa community to positions such as Special Advisers and Senior Special Assistants, saying this created a sense of belonging that strengthened relations between ethnic groups in the state. He described the different communities as now living as “brothers and sisters” in Kogi State.
Other members of the Hausa delegation included Alhaji Suleiman Rahama Bread (Okehi), Alhaji Nasir Umar (Ajaokuta), Juma Jango (Adavi), Ali Daura (Okene), and Ibrahim Haruna (Ogori-Magongo).
A separate delegation representing the Yoruba communities in Kogi Central also visited the former governor to pledge support for his senatorial bid. Chief Chris Fabuayin, representing the Obas of Yoruba in Ebiraland, commended Bello for fostering an environment in which residents of different ethnic and religious backgrounds could live and do business without fear or intimidation. He said Yoruba residents in the state had resolved to work toward Bello’s election.
Other members of the Yoruba delegation included Alhaji Bashir Haruna, Elder Afolayan Dada, Chief Olumide Kode, and Adebusuyi Michael.
In his response, Bello thanked both delegations for their show of support, saying his decision to include people from different ethnic groups in his administration was rooted in the belief that every Nigerian should be able to live and do business anywhere in the country with a genuine sense of belonging — a principle he called essential to peace and unity in a multi-ethnic nation.
He commended the Hausa/Fulani communities for embracing peaceful coexistence and urged them to continue doing so while helping to identify and expose bad actors within their communities. Bello also called on the delegations to support the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, and other candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the upcoming general elections.
