Politics
Kogi 2023: PDP, ADC Move To Stop Yahaya Bello’s 16 Years Ebira Rule
With the 2023 general elections over, attention has now shifted to Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa States for the off-season governorship elections.
In Kogi State, over ten members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, lined up to succeed incumbent Governor Yayaha Bello who is completing his second tenure in office.
However, on Thursday, Governor Bello endorsed the state Auditor General, Usman Ododo as his preferred candidate.
DAILY POST reported that the Chairman of the election committee, Governor Mohammed Bello-Matawale confirmed that a “gentlemanly agreement” was reached.
Consequently, Deputy Governor Edward Onoja, ex-Finance Commissioner David Adebanji-Jimoh, Ashiru Idris, Okala Yakubu, Abdulkareem Asuku (Chief of Staff) and Accountant-General Momoh Jibrin withdrew from the race.
Bello’s endorsement of Ododo, who is from the same Kogi Central and of the Ebira ethnic group, confirmed the suspicion many had that the governor was planning 16/16.
At the conclusion of the primary election, Ododo emerged as the APC flagbearer.
Ododo polled a total of 78,704 votes to defeat six other contestants in the governorship race.
He defeated the distant runner-up, Barr. Mohammed Ozigi Salami, who got 1,506 votes, while the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Smart Adeyemi, polled the least number of votes – 311.
Background on Kogi guber seat
The state has three major ethnic groups— Igala in Kogi East, Ebira in Kogi Central and Okun in Kogi West.
Kogi East has nine local government areas: Idah, Ibaji, Igalamela/Odolu, Ofu, Dekina, Ankpa, Olamaboro, Bassa and Omala local governments. While Kogi central has Adavi, Ajaokuta, Okehi, Okene, and Ogori-Magongo.
Kogi west has seven local government areas- Kaba Bunu, Kogi/Koto Karfe, Mopa Muro, Ijumu, Yagba East, Yagba West and Lokoja. However, Kogi/Koto Karfe and Lokoja are dominated by minority groups.
From 1999 to 2015, Kogi East produced all the governors— Abubakar Audu, Idris Ibrahim and Idris Wada. In 2015, Yahaya Bello emerged after the death of Audu.
There have been speculations that Governor Bello plans to ensure that an Ebira man succeeds him so that his zone can complete 16 years of uninterrupted stay in power.
Move to use ADC
Many expected James Faleke, the running mate to Abubakar Audu, to join the race as a group even reportedly bought the N50 million nomination form for him; however, he did not show up during the screening exercise.
Insiders within the APC told DAILY POST that the president-elect, Bola Tinubu asked Faleke not to join the race in order to reward Bello for his role in the presidential election. Faleke’s ambition could put Tinubu and Bello at loggerheads.
Faleke continues to call for the zoning of the position to Kogi West.
“Kogi Central by the end of the tenure of Yahaya Adoza Bello would have been in the saddle for 8 years, uninterrupted. While not discounting the right of those concerned to contest for any office, I believe that the time has come to be just and fair to all,” he had said.
However, Bello’s endorsement of Ododo has foreclosed any argument on Kogi West.
DAILY POST learnt there are moves in Kogi West to push a member of the House of Representatives in Kogi West, Leke Abejide as a third force to stop Bello’s plan.
Although Dino Melaye is also from Kogi West, Abejide appeals to many in the zone for several reasons. In 2019, he won the House seat under ADC. Again in 2023, he won re-election and even sponsored another ADC candidate in Ijumu/Kabba/Bunu Federal Constituency.
“BVAS has changed the electoral game in Nigeria. Look at Alex Otti in Abia— Abejide is already battle-tested, twice. In 2019, at the peak of Yahaya Bello’s influence, he won his Reps election. And in 2023, it is no secret that he not only won re-election but ensured the spread of ADC,” Leadi Abdulahi, a supporter of Mr Abejide told DAILY POST.
However, there are others within the state that believe that it is only an Igala candidate that can wrestle power from APC and Bello.
With nine local government areas, the zone has a strong voting block.
But Melaye seems to have the support of Atiku Abubakar and the national body of the party ahead of Sunday’s primary.
In the coming days, the alignment in the state may be away from party loyalty to ethnic loyalty.
The Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, has initiated impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Ngozi Odu, issuing them a seven-day notice to respond to allegations of gross misconduct.
The Assembly cited eight specific allegations of gross misconduct as the basis for the move.
This is the third time Fubara and Odu would be facing impeachment proceedings from the Assembly since coming to office in 2023.
Attempts to impeach them in 2023 and 2025, amid political feuds between the Governor and his predecessor and erstwhile political god-father, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, had been halted by presidential intervention.
Here are the allegations below:
1. Reckless and unconstitutional expenditure of public funds
2. Unconstitutional misappropriation of public funds
3. Hindering the Rivers Assembly from performing its constitutional duties
4. Illegal appointments of persons without screening by the House of Assembly as provided by the Constitution
5. Seizure of salaries and funds meant for Assembly members
6. Seizure of salaries of the clerk of the Rivers House of Assembly, Emeka Amadi
7. Refusal to implement provisions of the Constitution on financial autonomy of the legislature and the judiciary
8. Withholding of funds meant for the running of the Rivers House of Assembly Service Commission and hindering its activities
Lilian Adebayo, the wife of the 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, has said that the party will unseat the ruling All Progressive Party at the 2027 election if Nigerians are true to themselves.
Mrs Adebayo made this assertion known on Wednesday during an interview with journalists after an event in Abuja.
According to her, the opposition party has overcome its crisis after the expulsion of its former chairman, Shehu Gabam and others.
She said Nigerians should vote the APC out in the 2027 general election due to the hardship the party has plunged citizens into.
“There is always a crisis in the party; the SPD has been able to handle its own. The problems in the party have been resolved.
“He has a great chance of winning the election if Nigerians are honest with themselves. If Nigerians think that the ones they consistently vote for would move the country forward, they live in denial,” she concerning the husband.
Recall that SDP recently expelled Gabam and other party executives.
The party’s state chairmen on Wednesday urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the police to investigate Gabam over alleged misappropriation.
In a significant political move, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, October 14, 2025.
Mbah announced his decision during a televised broadcast in Enugu after weeks of speculation.
He said, “Today, after a long reflection, we have made the decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party and join the All Progressives Congress.”
Mbah explained that his decision to join the PDP was informed by the need to reshape Enugu and reorganise the politics of the state.
“Today, I stand before you to announce a break from the past and to share a decision that will shape the road ahead. This concerns our values, how we organize ourselves politically and how we secure the future of our project and our people.
“Leadership sometimes demands painful decisions in the service of higher principles and goals. And there comes a time, when everyone must make a bold choice to determine their destiny.”
Ahead of the governor’s defection, all members of his cabinet had on joined the ruling party.
Governor Mbah’s Senior Media Aide, Dan Nwomeh, confirmed the mass defection in a video posted on his social media handles on Monday. In the video, several government officials were seen openly declaring their allegiance to the APC, chanting praises for President Bola Tinubu and affirming their commitment to the new party.
“Enugu State Cabinet Members join the APC with full chest along with Governor PN Mbah,” Nwomeh stated.
The officials, including commissioners and top aides, could be heard in the video declaring, “We are now in APC; tomorrow is here; it is APC all the way; it is Jagaban all the way; from top to bottom.”
The collective defection marks a significant political shift in Enugu State, which has been a PDP stronghold since 1999.
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