Between Yahaya Bello and Natasha Akpoti: Who takes Kogi Central?
By Adeyemi Daniel B
Political parties have produced their candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) publishing details of candidates and the elective positions they are seeking.
Following the release of the official list, the question of who will represent Kogi Central in the Senate has continued to dominate political discussions in the state, as two prominent political figures prepare to contest the seat under different parties.
Among the candidates contesting senatorial seats across the country are Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Bello emerged as the APC candidate after winning the party’s Kogi Central senatorial primary, while Akpoti-Uduaghan secured the PDP ticket.
However, personality, influence, leadership record and the prevailing political situation are likely to shape the contest between the two political actors.
As the election draws closer, political tension continues to rise across the five local government areas of the district, amid concerns about possible electoral malpractice, political intimidation and other forms of electoral dissatisfaction capable of undermining the senatorial election. Such concerns, therefore, cannot simply be dismissed.
The emergence of Yahaya Bello from the keenly contested APC primary on May 18, 2026, has generated critical observations, scrutiny and political discourse. It is strongly believed by some of his supporters that Bello is ready to defy the odds and make his way into the 11th National Assembly. At the same time, some people in Kogi Central continue to draw attention to his political antecedents, which they describe as a woeful performance.
The candidacy of Bello, a former governor of Kogi State, has continued to generate debate, with his record in office forming part of the wider political discourse.
This is enough to suggest that a significant section of the Kogi Central electorate remains resolute and ready to demand a free and fair election in 2027.
On the other hand, the power of incumbency is another Gordian knot to untie. The successor to Bello, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, is backing his candidacy, a development that has been perceived by some as a challenge to the opposition within the state.
Beyond political affiliation, Natasha is a fierce politician whose linguistic repertoire, legislative activities and political influence have become part of the conversation among Kogi people. The question remains: is it possible for Natasha to win the 2027 senatorial election?
The question appears simple, but the answer is more complicated than a simple yes or no, as the circumstances surrounding the two political actors continue to unfold.
Unarguably, social media conversations appear to be taking the side of Senator Natasha, while a significant number of people continue to focus on what they describe as the underperformance of Bello, who governed the state for two terms.
Beyond the situational context and social media engagement, politics has a way of testing the political credibility of candidates and the underlying ideologies that often shape the electoral process.
In the forthcoming election, Kogi Central already knows who to vote for.
Adeyemi Daniel B
+234 7039 2707751
lionofficial2015@gmail.com
