Yahaya Bello leads the charge as Kogi State chapter of A4A prepares for grassroots engagement

By Shehu Atta

In the build up to the 2027 Presidential election, stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress APC in Kogi state led by the former Governor, His Excellency Yahaya Bello, are stepping up grassroot engagement in order to harvest massive votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

And in the midst of all these, former Governor Bello has reaffirmed his commitment to President Tinubu’s re-election by expressing confidence in strong support for the President across Northern Nigeria.

Bello, a member of the Board of Trustees of Arewa for Asiwaju (A4A) and Deputy National Coordinator for the North Central, restated his position during a recent live television interview over the weekend, during which he outlined the role he expects the platform to play in communicating the administration’s policies and achievements ahead of the next general elections.

His remarks come at a significant stage in the development of A4A, following the unveiling of its Abuja headquarters last weekend. The event was performed by Vice President Kashim Shettima, GCON, alongside Deputy Senate President Senator Jibrin Barau and APC National Chairman Professor Nentawe Yilwatda. The Director-General of A4A, His Excellency Badaru Abubakar, members of the Board of Trustees and other prominent political leaders were also present.

The unveiling marked an important step in establishing the platform’s spread and providing a focal point for coordination among its state chapters. The next phase will require translating that national structure into sustained engagement with communities, professional groups, business leaders and other stakeholders across the region.

For Kogi State, that process is already taking shape under the coordination of Pharmacist Abdulkareem Asuku. The state chapter was prominently represented at the Abuja event and is now preparing to move into more direct stakeholder engagement and grassroots mobilisation. The emphasis is on building an active structure capable of connecting the platform’s national objectives with political and community realities at the state and local government levels.

During his television appearance, Bello was emphatic in describing as a platform for taking the message of the Renewed Hope Agenda to communities, engaging citizens constructively and addressing misinformation with facts. He also stressed the importance of helping Nigerians understand the administration’s policies and efforts against the backdrop of prevailing global economic challenges.

On the performance of the Tinubu administration, the former governor maintained that the President had made significant progress in addressing the needs of Northern Nigeria and the country at large. He argued that another four-year term would provide an opportunity to consolidate ongoing projects, sustain infrastructure investments, deepen economic reforms, strengthen security and advance human capital development.

Bello also pledged to deploy his political experience, strategic insight and grassroots connections in support of A4A’s activities, working with fellow leaders and stakeholders to communicate the administration’s record and strengthen the platform’s reach across the North.

His declaration provides the clearest indication of the political commitment the former governor intends to bring to the initiative. As Deputy National Coordinator for the North Central and a member of the Board of Trustees, his role extends beyond public endorsement to supporting the coordination of political stakeholders and the development of structures capable of sustaining engagement ahead of 2027.

And for the Kogi State chapter, the immediate task is to turn that commitment into organised action: identifying relevant stakeholders, strengthening local structures and building relationships with business and professional communities, as well as grassroot political actors.

It is worth noting that Bello expressed confidence that Kogi State, the North Central and the wider Northern region would give President Tinubu and other APC candidates substantial support in the 2027 elections. He maintained that the mobilisation process had already begun.

With the national headquarters unveiled and state structures preparing for wider engagement, the focus now shifts to implementation, coordination and sustained presence on the ground. The effectiveness of these efforts will depend on how well the platform translates its leadership commitments into practical engagement across communities and stakeholder groups.

Hon. Shehu Atta

Director, Business and Professional Affairs

Arewa for Asiwaju (A4A)

Kogi State Chapter