- Why APC Should Not Reward Political Manipulation with Power Continuity
By Yusuf M.A.
Former Governor Yahaya Bello’s latest maneuvers have once again confirmed what many already suspected, he is not ready to let go of power. His political moves, closed-door meetings, and subtle alliances point to one mission only: to secure what has now been widely described as his “fourth term by proxy.”
Barely 21 months into his successor’s tenure, Bello is already plotting for a second term on behalf of his placeholder governor, a move designed to keep Kogi’s treasury and political structure under his firm control. By aligning his ambition with President Bola Tinubu’s second-term project, Bello seeks to disguise personal interest as party loyalty, presenting himself as the indispensable bridge between Kogi and Abuja.
Bello’s dominance since leaving office has made it nearly impossible for his successor to be independent. He reportedly continues to run the government from behind the scenes, having personally handpicked most commissioners, advisers, and even the Chief of Staff. This deep interference has effectively turned the sitting governor into a placeholder, carrying out Bello’s wishes rather than exercising autonomous leadership.
His desperation became more apparent during a recent meeting with Senator Sunday Karimi and Hon. Suleiman Baba Ali, key figures from Kogi West. Yet, the irony remains striking, it was Senator Karimi who only days ago condemned Bello for organizing what he called an “insensitive and unnecessary” APC endorsement rally in Lokoja, declaring that “President Tinubu can win elections in Kogi without Yahaya Bello’s political abracadabra.”
Now, the same Bello who was publicly criticized for manipulative politics is frantically seeking validation from those who denounced him. Analysts view this outreach not as a reconciliation effort but as a desperate bid to secure continued influence over power, contracts, and the Kogi State treasury.
For over eight years, Yahaya Bello ruled Kogi with an iron grip, concentrating power and wealth within Kogi Central while sidelining other regions. Now, through his loyalists and proxy structures, he seeks to perpetuate the same dominance under a new banner.
It is time for Kogites, East, West, and Central, to unite and say enough is enough. Kogi’s destiny must no longer revolve around one man’s ambition. Real progress demands balance, fairness, and freedom from recycled control.
As 2027 approaches, President Bola Tinubu and the APC national leadership must draw a firm line between genuine loyalty and selfish manipulation. Protecting the credibility of democracy in Kogi requires rejecting any scheme that allows Yahaya Bello to turn governance into personal property.
If Kogi must move forward, Yahaya Bello must be politically retired, not out of animosity, but out of necessity, to restore integrity, accountability, and independence to leadership.
