Kogiflame
By Hon. Abanika Taiye
Politics, in its truest form, is the art of leadership, service, and structured engagement with the populace. It is the mechanism through which ideas are transformed into policies, policies into actions, and actions into impact. At the heart of good politics lies vision, inclusivity, competence, courage, and character qualities that transcend mere rhetoric and find expression in tested leadership.
As the All Progressives Congress (APC) prepares for a new phase of consolidation, there is no more fitting choice for the office of National Chairman than Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, CON, former Governor of Kogi State and a dynamic architect of modern grassroots mobilization.
The Man, the Movement
Alhaji Yahaya Bello is not just a politician; he is a movement. A leader who ascended to power at a time of political instability in Kogi State, he not only stabilized the party but reinvented the state’s governance model under the New Direction Agenda. His emergence as Governor in 2016 signaled a new era of inclusive politics; free from the stranglehold of ethnicity, godfatherism, or sectional favoritism.
A proven conflict resolver, Yahaya Bello brought national attention when he mediated and successfully resolved the food distribution crisis between the Northern and Southern parts of Nigeria. This singular act underscored his ability to build consensus beyond regional interests; a quality our party urgently needs in these times.
Under his leadership, the APC in Kogi State became a household name, winning all senatorial, House of Representatives, and State Assembly seats. He entrenched the party in every ward, village, and hamlet, not by coercion, but through performance, transparency, and unwavering loyalty to the party’s ideals.
He is a detribalized leader who united the Eastern, Western, and Central parts of Kogi, what many describe as a microcosm of Nigeria into a cohesive political force. That unifying spirit is needed more than ever at the national level of our party.
Youth and Women: From Sidelines to Center Stage
The APC, as a progressive party, must continue to evolve, and that evolution demands a national leader who understands the pulse of Nigeria’s largest demographics (youth and women). Yahaya Bello is that man.
As National Youth Coordinator for the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign, he mobilized millions of young Nigerians across the country, igniting passion, patriotism, and purpose. His government appointed the youngest cabinet in the history of Nigeria, with women heading key agencies, including a female ADC, a first in Nigeria.
He didn’t just pay lip service to the slogan “No Woman, No Nation” he lived it. His policies opened the doors of political participation to women across all levels. As APC National Chairman, he is poised to strategically leverage this heightened female participation to expand the party’s grassroots strength like never before.
In 2021, he was appointed Chairman of the APC Women, Youth and People Living with Disabilities Membership Revalidation Committee, a testament to his unshakable belief in inclusive governance. This committee achieved unprecedented success in reenergizing the party’s base.
Institutional Reforms, Legacy Projects
Yahaya Bello’s governance in Kogi State was not based on noise but on evidence-based results. He turned the state into a construction site, building signature infrastructure projects like:
The First Flyover in Kogi State
The Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara
The GYB Model Schools across all senatorial districts
The Kogi Revenue House, which improved the IGR by over 300%
World-class hospitals, rural electrification, and agricultural empowerment hubs
He is a passionate and strategic planner whose policies consistently yielded results. His administration’s agricultural blueprint and empowerment programmes are often cited as models for sustainable rural development.
Yahaya Bello also became a reference point in Nigeria for his ability to produce a worthy successor. His smooth transition to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo not only demonstrated political maturity but created a platform for continuity and consolidation. It’s a case study that many states now look up to—proof of his foresight in governance and party sustainability.
His success in security management earned him the title of “Security Personality of the Year” on multiple occasions. It is this same discipline, focus, and structural transformation that the APC needs to rebuild trust with Nigerians.
Why APC Needs Yahaya Bello Now
In a time when our party must retool, restrategize, and reconnect with Nigerians especially at the grassroots, we need a builder, a bridge, and a believer. Yahaya Bello is all three.
He is a builder who has proven that structures win elections, not sentiments. He is a bridge between the North and South, Christians and Muslims, youth and elders.
He is a believer in the APC’s founding vision of progressivism, equity, and national rebirth.
Kogi State, under his leadership, rose as the strongest APC state in the North Central region—strategically placing it in pole position to produce the next National Chairman. It is the North Central’s turn, and among its ranks, Yahaya Bello stands tallest with unmatched youthful energy, tested loyalty, and a proven governance record.
His proven administrative competence, political loyalty, national network, and oratorical strength make him the natural successor to the leadership vacuum currently facing our great party. His leadership style is firm but fair, youthful yet mature, fearless yet diplomatic.
Conclusion
The APC stands at a defining moment. As we prepare for future elections and consolidate on the gains of the Tinubu-led Federal Government, the party needs a chairman who can unite, inspire, and reorganize. Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello is not only the best choice, he is the right choice.
Let us give APC a future. Let us give Nigeria a chance. Let us support Yahaya Bello for National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress.
Hon. Abanika Taiye
Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Kogi State
