By: Goodluck E. Adubazi, Abuja.

Fresh details have emerged on why the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Presidency are deliberately keeping their distance from the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, as he battles multiple corruption charges running into hundreds of billions of naira.

Investigations indicate that both the party hierarchy and the Presidency are unwilling to be associated with Bello’s growing legal troubles and public conduct, insisting that he must personally answer to the allegations against him without political cover. Bello is currently facing two separate prosecutions by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) involving alleged fraud totalling ₦190.6 billion, while his son, Ali Bello, is standing trial over an alleged ₦10 billion financial crime. Combined, the cases amount to over ₦200 billion.

Before Justice Maryanne Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Bello and two alleged accomplices, Umar Shaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, are facing a 16-count charge of criminal breach of trust involving ₦110.4 billion. In a separate trial before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Bello is answering to a 19-count charge of money laundering, misappropriation and breach of trust involving ₦80.2 billion.

Ali Bello, often publicly described as Yahaya Bello’s nephew but confirmed to be his 26-year-old son, is being prosecuted before Justice James K. Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

He is facing a 16-count amended charge bordering on misappropriation and money laundering estimated at ₦10.2 billion. His alleged accomplices include Abdulsalaam Hudu, an accounts officer in Government House, Lokoja, and Dauda Sulaiman.

Adding another layer of intrigue is the alleged role of Bello’s successor, Governor Ahmed Ododo, who served as Auditor-General for Local Governments during the period under investigation. Allegations before the court suggest that local government allocations were disbursed as honoraria and imprests to Bello and his associates. Ododo’s name has reportedly surfaced in proceedings as a courier of certain cash payments in the ongoing trial.

Following his exit from office in January 2024, Bello is said to have made sustained efforts to ingratiate himself with the administration of President Bola Tinubu, allegedly in search of political protection. He reportedly lobbied for a ministerial appointment and also sought the national chairmanship of the APC when the position was zoned to the North Central, a process that eventually produced Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda.

Bello also launched a media campaign publicly pledging loyalty to President Tinubu and convened an endorsement rally in Lokoja, promising Kogi State’s support for Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

Party insiders say these overtures were largely ignored. His subsequent appearance at a presidential event in Lagos last Christmas reportedly caused visible discomfort within the Presidency, though the matter was played down publicly.

Political observers note that Bello’s exclusion from key party structures has been telling. His name was absent from the initial 73-member committee set up to plan the forthcoming APC national convention and remained missing even after the list was expanded to 90. He was also excluded from the APC campaign committee for the FCT council elections.

A senior APC official at the party’s national headquarters confirmed that caution was the guiding principle. “We do not want unnecessary inferences or the impression that the party is a refuge for people facing serious allegations. The integrity of the APC is paramount,” the source said, adding that President Tinubu is keen to avoid any association that could tarnish his anti-corruption posture.

The source further noted that the President’s handling of past cases, including the removal of former ministers over alleged misconduct, underscored his sensitivity to corruption allegations, particularly those involving public funds and local government finances.
Meanwhile, on January 29, 2026, Justice Emeka Nwite granted Yahaya Bello temporary release of his international passport to enable him perform the lesser hajj in Saudi Arabia.

Although the decision attracted criticism over concerns of flight risk, informed sources insist it will not affect the substance or pace of his prosecution. Bello is expected to return within 10 days to continue facing trial in what has become one of the most high-profile corruption cases in recent political history.