The All Progressives Congress, APC, National Assembly Screening Committee has cleared former Kogi governor Yahaya and Kogi West senator Sunday Karimi.
Bello and Karimi were cleared for the party’s senatorial primary scheduled for Monday.
The committee approved 17 aspirants across the state’s three senatorial districts for the primaries.
Bello, whose eligibility had been the subject of speculation in recent days, was officially confirmed after his name appeared as number 13 on the list of cleared aspirants for the Kogi Central Senatorial District race.
The former governor is expected to battle Momoh Yusuf Obaro and Ibrahim Yakubu Adoke for the Kogi Central ticket.
In Kogi West, incumbent Karimi emerged as the consensus candidate after a stakeholders’ meeting chaired by Governor Usman Ododo at the Government House in Lokoja.
Although six other aspirants, including former senator Smart Adeyemi and Aro Bamidele were also cleared by the committee, political observers believe Karimi remains the frontrunner following the consensus arrangement.
For Kogi East Senatorial District, seven aspirants were cleared to contest the APC primary. They include incumbent Senator Isah Echocho, Joseph Ameh and Murtala Ajaka.
Kogi: APC clears Yahaya Bello, others for senatorial primaries