Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has vowed to fight corruption and work toward ending the menace if elected as Senator representing Kogi Central in the 2027 general elections.
Bello made the declaration during a visit to the palace of the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, where he addressed traditional rulers, community leaders and other stakeholders as part of his campaign for the Kogi Central senatorial seat.
The former governor, who has secured the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for the Kogi Central senatorial election, said he was prepared to use his experience and position in the National Assembly to tackle corruption and promote good governance.
His promise, however, comes against the backdrop of ongoing corruption and money-laundering proceedings brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Bello has not been cleared by the EFCC of the allegations against him. The former governor is still standing trial over an amended 16-count charge involving an alleged ₦110.4 billion in criminal breach of trust and money laundering. In June 2026, an FCT High Court dismissed his application challenging its jurisdiction to hear the case, allowing the trial to continue.
The EFCC has also maintained that Bello remains presumed innocent until proven guilty, stressing that the commission’s responsibility is to present evidence while the court has the final authority to determine whether the former governor is guilty or not.
One of the issues raised during the proceedings concerns payments made to the American International School of Abuja for the education of Bello’s children.
In March 2025, an auditor with the school testified before the Federal High Court that a total of $1,606,763.68 had been paid for Bello’s children, with part of the money covering tuition in advance. The witness said the arrangement included payments for children already enrolled as well as future students.
The witness further testified that $760,910.84 was subsequently refunded to an account provided by the EFCC. However, in a later proceeding in May 2026, the witness acknowledged that an FCT High Court judgment had found that the school was wrong to refund the money to the EFCC without a court order.
The school-fee issue remains part of the wider legal battle and should not be interpreted as a court conviction or acquittal of Bello.
Despite the allegations and ongoing proceedings, Bello has continued with his political activities and his bid to represent Kogi Central in the Senate.
His latest promise to “fight corruption and put an end to it” is therefore likely to attract significant public attention, particularly because of the corruption allegations currently before the courts.
For now, Yahaya Bello remains legally presumed innocent, but he has not been cleared of the EFCC’s corruption and money-laundering allegations. The final determination rests with the courts.
