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N200bn fraud baggage: APC, Presidency Maintain Distance From Yahaya Bello
Fresh facts have emerged about the recent tepid disposition of the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), and the Presidency, towards immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.
Both high commands in the nation’s politics and governance are not enamoured by Bello’s multiple corruption cases vis-a-vis his public conduct and want him to answer for his misdemeanours all by himself.
While Bello is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), for two separate fraud allegations totalling N190.6Billion, his son, Ali Bello, who is Chief of Staff to Bello’s successor, Ahmed Ododo, is standing trial for a N10 Billion malfeasance. Put together, Bello may just be entangled in a web of corruption cases involving over N200 Billion.
Bello and his accomplices, Umar Shaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, are standing trial before Justice Maryanne Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) High Court on a 16-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, to the tune of N110.4 Billion. Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, is hearing the N80.2Billion case preferred against Bello by the EFCC. The case under reference is a 19-count charge encompassing money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of public funds. Ali Bello, hitherto misconstrued as Yahaya Bello’s nephew, but who in reality is Bello’s 26 year-old son born out of wedlock, is being prosecuted before Justice James K Omotosho, also in the Federal High Court, Abuja, on a 16-count amended charge bordering on misappropriation and money laundering, estimated at N10.2 Billion. As with the older Bello, Ali Bello’s accomplices include Abdulsalaam Hudu, an accounts officer in Government House, Lokoja, and Dauda Sulaiman.
A curious dimension to the whole saga is the alleged complicity of Bello’s successor, Ahmed Ododo, who occupied the strategic position of Auditor-General for local governments during which allocations to councils were parcelled as honoraria and imprests to Bello and his cohorts. It has been suggested that in a manner similar to how Nyesom Wike procured Siminalayi Fubara his former Accountant-General in Rivers State as his successor to protect his rear, Bello equally cloned Ododo who was privy to most of the illicit transactions perpetrated under his benefactor. For context, Ododo’s name has featured as courier of several instalments of gratification in the court of Justice Omotosho.
Since the commencement of the multipronged trials for graft in the aftermath of Bello’s disengagement from office in January 2024, he has done everything possible to ingratiate himself to the administration of President Bola Tinubu, ostensibly to seek protection. Bello lobbied to be considered as Minister representing Kogi State, believing he could enjoy the same privileges of some of his former governor colleagues who are serving in the Tinubu government. Abubakar Badaru, (Jigawa); Bello Matawalle, (Zamfara); Atiku Bagudu, (Kebbi); Dave Umahi, (Ebonyi), and Nyesom Wike, (Rivers), are former governors holding ministerial positions in the incumbent administration. Bello equally aspired for the national chairmanship of the APC when the office was zoned to the North Central and eventually produced former university scholar, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda as Chairman last year.
Bello subsequently launched a media campaign directly canvassing patronage from President Tinubu, before infamously convening a ragtag “endorsement rally” in Lokoja late last year, where he pledged the wholesale support of Kogi State to Tinubu’s reelection in 2027. Ignored and overlooked, Yahaya Bello gatecrashed into the Lagos home of the President last Christmas at the inauguration of the APC National Committee on Strategy, Conflict Resolution and Mobilisation. Sources close to Tinubu observed the President’s embarrassment when Bello showed up with APC bigwigs including governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Hope Uzodinmma, Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, Sheriff Oborevwori, Siminalayi Fubara, Hyacinth Alia of Lagos, Imo, Kwara, Delta, Rivers and Benue, and just let it slide.
The body language of Tinubu is such that he doesn’t want to be seen to be shielding a Yahaya Bello who is being tried for sundry cases of financial misappropriation. This explains the glaring omission of Bello’s name from the initial 73-man list drawn up to plan the forthcoming national convention of the APC. Even when the list was expanded to 90, Bello the self-styled “supreme leader” and “white lion” of Kogi State APC didn’t make the cut. He didn’t feature either in the campaign committee for the FCT APC council poll, which was drawn from the pool of party leaders from adjoining states.
A very senior official at the national headquarters of the APC noted that the party and the Presidency had decided to tread the path of caution concerning Yahaya Bello. According to the source, while the embattled former governor remains a member of the APC, the party and the federal government had decided to be very circumspect, especially with due consideration to the cases he’s answering to. “We don’t want people to draw unnecessary inferences and conclusions. Many people want to give the party a bad name as a refugee camp for fleeing suspects. That is not correct. The integrity of the party is very important to us and we want to do our best to protect that.”
Continuing, the source observed that “President Tinubu is very mindful of things that will cast a blot on his image. Recall how he decisively eased out the former Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Betta Edu for alleged corruption, and her former colleague in Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, for alleged certificate forgery.
The President is very, very concerned about the misappropriation of funds, including appropriations to local governments which have been serially abused and looted without repercussions in many states including Kogi, where anti-graft agencies are continually inundated with petitions. The charges against Yahaya Bello are weighty and President Tinubu would rather he answers to them and clears himself without undue interference.”
Yahaya Bello was on Thursday January 29, 2026, granted temporary custody of his international passport by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court to enable him participate in the lesser hajj in Saudi Arabia.
While this concession was widely criticised, especially considering the fact that he constitutes a potential flight risk, informed sources maintain that the opportunity would not in any way impact his criminal prosecution. He is expected back within a 10-day period to take his place in the dock as he continues to be subjected to a hydra of judicial interrogations.
Francis-Xavier Sosu, Ghanaian member of parliament, collapsed on stage while delivering a speech.
Sosu was addressing students at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) in Accra on Thursday when he began to show signs of dizziness, according to video posted by Joy Online, a local media outlet.
Pausing his address, the lawmaker attempted to hold on to the podium but was unable to continue his speech or stand upright.
A man and a woman approached the podium from the side of the hall to assist the lawmaker, who later collapsed into their arms as they rushed him out of the building.
A statement issued by Ivan Dzakpasu, Sosu’s chief of staff, said the MP has received the necessary medical attention following the incident.
The statement did not provide details on the nature of the incident, the medical attention received or what may have caused the MP to become unwell.
The statement urged the public to remain calm and avoid relying on unverified reports or speculation about the lawmaker’s condition.
The federal high court in Gombe has nullified the emergence of Isa Pantami as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the 2027 governorship election in the state.
The court, in a judgment delivered on Thursday by Amina Aliyu Mohammed, also ordered the PDP to conduct a fresh governorship primary in compliance with its constitution, guidelines and relevant electoral laws.
The judgment followed a suit filed by Usman Garry, a PDP governorship aspirant, who challenged the process through which Pantami emerged as the party’s candidate.
In May, Pantami withdrew from the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election scheduled for May 21 in Gombe state.
Pantami attributed his withdrawal from the race to the alleged breaches of the electoral process.
He eventually joined the PDP and emerged as the party’s 2027 governorship candidate in Gombe state.
The former minister secured the ticket through voice affirmation during the party’s gubernatorial primary.
Garry objected to the affirmation of Pantami as the flagbearer of the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led faction and eventually filed a suit against the former minister.
Garry had asked the court to set aside Pantami’s emergence on the grounds that the PDP did not conduct a valid governorship primary in accordance with its rules and applicable electoral laws.
After hearing arguments from the parties, the court had reserved judgment in July.
At Thursday’s proceedings, counsel to Pantami argued that he had validly resigned from the APC on May 19, 2026, before participating in the PDP primary.
The PDP also opposed the suit and urged the court to strike out the case.
Garry’s counsel, however, urged the court to dismiss the objections and grant the reliefs sought by his client.
The court, however, directed the PDP to conduct a fresh governorship primary in accordance with its guidelines and applicable electoral provisions.
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has noted the steady development that Osun State University has witnessed under the current management of the institution.
He said the visible progress under the current Vice-Chancellor, Prof Clement Adebooye, was the main factor considered to approve tenure extension for the VC.
Adeleke, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Kola Adewusi, asserted on Thursday while addressing the 16th UNIOSUN convocation ceremony held at the main campus of the university in Osogbo,
The governor listed Adebooye’s accomplishments, saying various breakthroughs recorded by the current management had transformed the institution.
Flaunting the multiple achievements in academic and infrastructural growth within the university, Adeleke, in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, further said, “In the last four years, 40 main building projects have been constructed and commissioned for use. There is no year that I have not personally come to the campus to commission legacy projects.
“In August this year alone, I commissioned the ultra-modern FIFA-standard Sports Complex, 3-in-1 Science Laboratory Complex, and two landmark Lecture Theatres.
“In addition to these, there have been well over 30 complementary works that include renovations, procurement and supplies, solar installations, etc., all with a view to making teaching, learning and administrative work conducive.
“Of more importance is the sustenance of the long-established culture of peace and industrial harmony in the university. This is why for the past five years, the university has not missed any academic session, nor has it failed to graduate its deserving students as and when due.
“It is on record that UNIOSUN is the second state-owned university to fully implement the 2025 FGN-staff union agreement.
“So, in terms of staff welfare and overall teaching and learning environment, this university remains a model. This is a major commitment of our government to support the responsible and responsive administration that we have put in charge of this university.
“In a bid to sustain continuity of performance and academic excellence, I approved a two-year extension of the tenure of the vice-chancellor with effect from 4th January, 2027 after strategic consultations and compliance with the state law.”
Speaking further on the development, the governor said his pronouncement has, accordingly, been backed up by the amendment to Osun State University Law (2006), passed by the state House of Assembly earlier this month, vowing “to continue to do everything to support the sustenance of academic and administrative excellence in this University.
“It must also be stated very clearly that my decision was well guided and it is rooted in legality, and in the overall best interest of the university.
“Our choice of the new chancellor followed a similar merit-driven thought process, and the innumerable applause from all parts of the world proved us right on Mama BOVAS’ appointment.
“Our resolve to also dissolve and reconstitute the governing council is another product of painstaking review towards accelerating the progressive development of the university. We are therefore not bound by any law or tradition to accept the dictates of any staff union regarding what we think is the best for our university,” the governor insisted.
Rolling out further achievements of the university under the vice-chancellor, Adeleke said, “In this month alone, the current vice-chancellor and his team attracted five major signature projects from the Federal Government and successfully laid their foundations with a view to completing the projects before December 2027.
“This is a vice-chancellor who met a half-alive medical school but diligently worked to ensure that all accreditation requirements by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria were met by the university, and has presented all 90 pioneer MBBS students both for MDCN induction and award of UNIOSUN degrees.
“This is a vice-chancellor who massively expanded the university’s academic landscape, thus increasing the student population from 14,260 in 2022 to 42,791 in 2026.
“This is a vice-chancellor who worked very closely with the great family of Apostle Folorunso Alakija to ensure the completion and commissioning of the 250-bed state-of-the-art Modupe and Folorunso Alakija Medical Research and Training Hospital.
“The hospital has since started full operation. In terms of global impact and visibility, for the first time in 11 years, UNIOSUN emerged as the third-best state university in Nigeria, 19th out of 312 universities in Nigeria, and 137th out of 2,390 universities in Africa,” he posited.
He urged staff and management to join hands with the governing board to continue to take the university to greater heights.
He restated the readiness of his administration towards providing maximum support for improved university governance and service delivery.
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