APC Faction Slams Bello’s Appointment to Osun Primary Committee, Cites Corruption Allegations
A prominent faction within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State, the Kogi APC Renaissance Forum, has voiced strong opposition to the recent appointment of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, to the 2025 Osun State Governorship Primary Election committee. The group has publicly condemned the decision, made by the National Chairman of the APC, Professor Nentawe Yiltwatda, labelling it a detrimental move that sends a negative signal to the party faithful and the wider Nigerian populace.
The Kogi APC Renaissance Forum, through its spokesperson Adejo Emmanuel, issued a statement calling for the immediate rescinding of this appointment. The group expressed profound disappointment, highlighting the availability of numerous credible and unblemished individuals within the APC who could have been entrusted with the critical responsibility of ensuring a fair and successful primary election to select the party’s gubernatorial flag bearer in Osun State.
“It is unacceptable,” the statement read, “that despite the abundance of credible individuals in the APC who can be appointed as members of the committee to deliver for the party on such critical and noble responsibility of producing the party’s flag bearer for the Osun Governorship Election, it is Former Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello, a man reduced to a cautionary tale by the EFCC who is currently prosecuting him on an alleged case of diversion and misappropriation of Kogi State funds to the tune of N80.2bn and a N110 billion 16 count fraud charge before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court and Justice Maryanne Anenih of the FCT High Court respectively is the one appointed as member of the committee.”
The forum argued that Bello’s inclusion on the committee directly undermines the administration’s commitment to combating corruption. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has been actively engaged in recovering substantial sums of stolen funds intended for national development. Appointing an individual facing serious corruption charges, the group contends, contradicts these efforts and sends a mixed message.
“This very appointment by the National Chairman does not only embarrass and subject the party to ridicule before opposition parties, but is a huge moral burden as it paints the party in a very bad light before Nigerians; bringing the party to total disrepute and goes a long way to create the false assumption that the All Progressive Congress under the leadership of Prof. Nentawe Yiltwada fraternizes with alleged criminals facing trail,” the statement continued.
The Kogi APC Renaissance Forum further advised the National Chairman against succumbing to any pressure or deception from Yahaya Bello. They expressed skepticism about his capacity to contribute effectively to the party’s objectives, even suggesting his limited ability to secure his own polling unit for the party in the upcoming 2027 general elections.
The group’s primary demand is the immediate removal of Yahaya Bello’s name from the 2025 Osun State Governorship Primary Committee. They view this as a necessary damage control measure to safeguard the integrity of the APC and ensure the party conducts a credible primary election that will ultimately produce a strong and reputable candidate for the governorship race in Osun State. The forum stressed the importance of maintaining public trust and upholding the party’s reputation as a proponent of good governance and accountability.