A socio-political group, the Ebira Peace Project Movement, has cautioned against efforts to draw former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, into the 2027 Kogi Central senatorial race, describing such a move as politically regressive and potentially destabilizing for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the district.
In an open letter signed by its President, Dr. Habeeb Onukaba, the group argued that Bello, who served two terms as governor and later contested the APC presidential primary, has outgrown local or senatorial politics and should remain focused on national leadership roles within the ruling party.
According to the statement, positioning Bello for a Senate seat would contradict his previous political stance during the 2023 elections, when he endorsed Engr. Sadiku Ohere over incumbent Senator Yakubu Oseni, a move that effectively blocked Oseni’s return to the Red Chamber.
The group warned that attempts to “compensate” the former governor with a senatorial ticket could fuel disunity and political tension in Kogi Central ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Yahaya Bello has emerged as a national political figure and a leading voice of the APC from Kogi State,” the letter stated. “Dragging him back into senatorial politics undermines his political stature and years of strategic leadership.”
The Ebira Peace Project Movement further emphasized the need for equity and justice in zoning the Kogi Central senatorial seat, noting that Okene Local Government Area has historically produced several senators. The group listed past representatives from the area, including Senators Sadiku Ohere, Ahmed Ogembe, Nuru-Deren Abetemi, and others, arguing that it would be unfair for the district to again produce a senator from Okene in 2027.
In the same vein, the group appealed to former Senator Sadiku Ohere to defer any senatorial ambition until 2031, urging him to play a unifying role by supporting a candidate from Okehi Local Government Area.
The statement also advised the APC leadership in Kogi State, under Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, to consider candidates from Okehi or Adavi local government areas, which it said would enhance fairness, unity, and the party’s chances of victory in Kogi Central.
The group concluded by urging Yahaya Bello to resist political pressure from what it described as “misguided elements,” insisting that his political future lies in national leadership and not a return to the Senate.
