Yahaya Bello Sweeps Kogi Central APC Primary As Oshiomhole Wins Edo North

Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has emerged winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary election for Kogi Central after recording a sweeping victory across the district’s five local government areas.

The former governor secured 72,399 votes in the primary conducted on Monday, defeating Ibrahim Yakubu Adoke, who polled 319 votes, and Momoh Yusuf Obaro, who garnered 188 votes.

The result was announced by the Returning Officer, Dr Sadiq Mohammed, who declared Bello winner of the APC Kogi Central senatorial primary ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to the official breakdown of results, Bello scored 18,341 votes in Adavi Local Government Area, 10,298 in Ajaokuta, 5,146 in Ogori/Magongo, 8,943 in Okehi and a massive 29,621 votes in Okene Local Government Area.

The outcome further strengthens Bello’s political influence within the ruling APC in Kogi State despite his ongoing legal battle with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Party sources said the former governor enjoyed strong backing from grassroots delegates and influential stakeholders across Kogi Central throughout the primary exercise.

Speaking after the election, Bello thanked APC members and supporters for the overwhelming mandate, promising to deliver effective representation if elected into the Senate in 2027.

He also called on aggrieved aspirants and party members to unite ahead of the general election.

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Meanwhile, the Kogi APC primaries produced mixed outcomes in other senatorial districts.

In Kogi West, incumbent Senator Sunday Karimi reportedly maintained a comfortable lead after several frontline aspirants withdrew from the race before the conclusion of the exercise.

Among those said to have stepped down were former senator Smart Adeyemi and Samuel Bamidele Aro, a development that boosted Karimi’s chances of securing the party ticket.

However, the contest in Kogi East generated controversy, with reports indicating that incumbent Senator Jibrin Isah Echocho was trailing behind his rival, Dr Joe Erico Ameh, in parts of the district.

Echocho reportedly lost in his Dekina Local Government Area, where he polled only two votes, while Ameh secured 19,805 votes.

Dr Joe Erico Ameh is believed to enjoy the backing of powerful stakeholders within the Kogi APC structure.

Some aspirants, including Muritala Ajaka and Echocho, criticised the conduct of the primary election, alleging irregularities and claiming that the process fell below acceptable party standards.

In Edo State, former governor and serving senator, Adams Oshiomhole, emerged as the APC candidate for Edo North Senatorial District unopposed.

The party’s Returning Officer, Kassim Otono, announced that Oshiomhole polled 24,284 votes to clinch the APC ticket for a second term in the Senate.

Addressing journalists after the announcement, Oshiomhole described his unopposed victory as a huge honour and thanked party members across Edo North for their confidence in him.

“For me to have nobody challenging me in Edo North is an honour and I can’t thank the people of Edo North enough,” Oshiomhole said.

The former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress disclosed that the only aspirant who initially signified interest in the contest later withdrew voluntarily in support of his candidacy.

Oshiomhole also pledged to continue attracting development projects, political influence and federal presence to Edo North, popularly referred to as Afemailand.

The APC senatorial primaries across several states are expected to shape the ruling party’s political calculations ahead of the 2027 elections, with former governors, incumbent lawmakers and influential political figures battling for tickets in strategic districts nationwide.

Yahaya Bello Sweeps Kogi Central APC Primary As Oshiomhole Wins Edo North

NDC Confirms Peter Obi As Only Presidential Aspirant After Deadline

Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has emerged as the sole aspirant for the presidential ticket of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) ahead of the 2027 general election, following the closure of the party’s nomination process.

The development followed the expiration of the deadline for the sale and submission of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms, with party insiders confirming that Obi was the only aspirant who completed and returned the required documents before the window closed.

Party officials said no other aspirant obtained or submitted presidential nomination forms before the deadline, making Obi the only contender for the NDC presidential primary at this stage.

The NDC, however, announced an extension of the deadline for aspirants contesting other elective positions, including governorship, Senate, House of Representatives, and State Houses of Assembly seats.

In a statement issued by the party’s National Secretary, Mr. Ikenna Morgan Enekweizu, the deadline for the collection of nomination forms for those categories was extended from Sunday, May 17, to Sunday, May 24, 2026.

The party clarified that the extension does not affect the presidential race, stressing that the nomination process for the office of the president has been formally concluded.

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The NDC also released its screening timetable ahead of its primaries, stating that the exercise will run from Tuesday, May 19 to May 26, 2026.

According to the schedule, collection and submission of nomination forms for cleared aspirants will take place between May 20 and May 26, while only candidates who meet the requirements will proceed to the next stage of the process.

The party warned that no further extension would be granted and urged all aspirants to comply strictly with its timetable and guidelines.

Aspirants are expected to present documents including educational certificates, birth or age declaration, passport photographs, voter’s card, party membership card, and curriculum vitae in six copies before the screening committee.

The NDC said candidates would be assessed based on competence, capacity, character, and acceptability, while also considering political realities within their constituencies.

Obi’s emergence as the sole presidential aspirant has already triggered political discussions within opposition circles, with analysts suggesting he could eventually emerge as a consensus presidential candidate of the party ahead of the 2027 election.

The former Anambra State governor recently joined the NDC after leaving the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a move that has continued to generate reactions within opposition politics.

Political observers say his unopposed status could strengthen internal unity within the party and boost its chances of emerging as a major opposition force ahead of the next general election.

The party also urged aspirants to embrace consensus-building where necessary, saying unity would be key to its electoral strategy going into 2027.

NDC Confirms Peter Obi As Only Presidential Aspirant After Deadline

“Atiku Can’t Win Election” — Amaechi Rules Out Stepping Down

Former Minister of Transportation and former Rivers State governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has declared that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar lacks the electoral strength to win Nigeria’s presidential election, insisting that he will not step down for any aspirant ahead of the 2027 political contest.

Amaechi made the remarks during a live interview on Trust TV on Monday night, where he spoke extensively about the future of opposition politics, internal party primaries, and the battle for power ahead of the next general election.

The former minister dismissed arguments suggesting that Atiku’s repeated success in securing presidential tickets automatically makes him a strong national candidate.

According to Amaechi, the real test of political strength lies in winning a nationwide election rather than defeating party delegates during primaries.

“He has been running since 1992. Every time he has won the primaries, he loses the election. It’s about electability and Atiku is not electable,” Amaechi said during the interview.

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Amaechi argued that despite Atiku’s long political experience and popularity within party structures, the former Vice President has failed to translate primary victories into electoral success at the national level.

“I listen when they say former Vice President Atiku said he has never failed the primaries before. I hope this will be the first time he fails the primaries,” Amaechi stated.

“That is not the issue. The issue is that every time he has passed the primaries, he has not won the election.”

The former Rivers State governor maintained that Nigeria’s current political climate requires a candidate capable of attracting support across all geopolitical zones, rather than one who depends largely on internal party alliances.

Amaechi insisted that he would not withdraw from the presidential race for any aspirant, signaling his determination to remain active in the build-up to the 2027 elections.

The comments are expected to intensify political conversations around possible opposition coalitions and the growing rivalry among leading political figures ahead of the next presidential contest.

Atiku Abubakar, who served as Vice President between 1999 and 2007 under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has contested for Nigeria’s presidency multiple times since the 1990s.

The former PDP presidential candidate lost to former President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 election and was defeated again by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the 2023 presidential poll.

Amaechi, a former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly and two-term governor, was also one of the major contenders during the 2022 All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary eventually won by President Tinubu.

The former minister stressed that his experience in governance and national politics positions him as a stronger and more electable candidate.

Political observers believe Amaechi’s latest remarks may further complicate ongoing talks about a possible opposition alliance ahead of 2027, especially as several influential politicians continue consultations over coalition arrangements.

The comments have already sparked reactions across political circles, with supporters of both Amaechi and Atiku debating the implications for the future of opposition politics in Nigeria.

“Atiku Can’t Win Election” — Amaechi Rules Out Stepping Down