Ex- Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has expressed confidence in defeating Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan in the 2027 Kogi Central senatorial election.
Bello, who is seeking the Kogi Central senatorial seat on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, will face Akpoti-Uduaghan, the incumbent senator and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The contest is expected to attract significant attention, given the long-standing political rivalry between the two politicians, which has been characterised by allegations, counter-allegations and legal battles.
In October 2022, Bello accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of involvement in the Ajaokuta massacre and the Kuje prison break, incidents that occurred between June and July of that year. 
Akpoti-Uduaghan denied the allegations, saying she was in the United States at the time for pregnancy-related reasons and childbirth.
On November 4, 2022, she responded by describing Bello as a “murderer, serial killer, and a terror to the people of Kogi State.”
However, speaking on TVC’s Sunday Politics, Bello dismissed concerns about the race, expressing confidence that the APC would secure a decisive victory in the election.
He said the outcome would be determined by the votes cast on January 16, 2027.
“16 January 2027 is around the corner, the result will speak for itself.
“Let the day come and go, the day will bring massive votes, a decisive victory for Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, and for APC,” he said.
