The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Assembly Screening Committee has cleared former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello and incumbent Kogi West Senator Sunday Karimi to contest the party’s senatorial primaries. The clearances were announced ahead of the scheduled primary elections, with the committee approving a total of 17 aspirants across the state’s three senatorial districts.
In the Kogi Central Senatorial District, Bello’s name appeared as the 13th entrant on the list of cleared candidates, ending recent speculation about his eligibility. He is expected to vie for the party’s ticket against former Kogi State chief of staff Momoh Yusuf Obaro and former minister Ibrahim Yakubu Adoke.
The Kogi West district saw Karimi emerge as the consensus candidate following a stakeholders’ meeting chaired by Governor Usman Ododo at the government house in Lokoja. Although six other aspirants – including former Senator Smart Adeyemi and businessman Aro Bamidele – were also cleared, the consensus arrangement positions Karimi as the front‑runner for the APC ticket.
In Kogi East, seven candidates received clearance to contest the primary. Among them are incumbent Senator Isah Echocho, former House of Representatives member Joseph Ameh and former aide Murtala Ajaka.
The committee’s decisions set the stage for a competitive set of primaries that will determine the APC’s senatorial slate from Kogi State. With the primaries slated for Monday, the outcomes will shape the party’s representation in the National Assembly and influence the broader political landscape in the state.
