Nigerians Criticize APC for Clearing Okowa, Bello Amid Corruption Trials
The All Progressives Congress, APC, has faced public backlash after clearing former Delta State governor Ifeanyi Okowa and former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello to contest senatorial primaries.
Both politicians won their respective primaries despite ongoing corruption trials at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Okowa has been under investigation for allegedly misappropriating ₦1.3 trillion in public funds and diverting state resources to acquire properties and business investments.
The EFCC is probing his handling of the 13% oil derivation fund allocated to Delta State between 2015 and 2023.
He is accused of failing to account for ₦40 billion, which he allegedly used to buy an 8% stake in UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas.
Investigators also allege that Okowa diverted state funds to acquire real estate in Asaba and Abuja.
After his arrest in November 2024, Okowa left the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and joined the APC, raising concerns that the corruption probe might be stalled.
The EFCC, however, has maintained that party defection does not offer immunity and said the investigation remains active.
Bello faces two major corruption and money laundering cases at the EFCC.
The first involves ₦80.2 billion in 19 counts, linked to alleged diversion of Kogi State funds used to acquire luxury properties in Nigeria and Dubai.
The second case concerns ₦110.4 billion in 16 counts of criminal breach of trust and property fraud.
The EFCC accuses him of diverting state funds through multiple companies and bureau-de-change operators and of withdrawing large sums to pay his children’s school fees.
Bello has denied all allegations, claiming the charges are politically motivated.
He has also resisted arrest and delayed court appearances, including standoffs with the EFCC at his Abuja residence and the Kogi State Government Lodge.
Despite the ongoing trials, the APC cleared Bello to contest and win the senatorial primary for Kogi Central.
He is now set to challenge the incumbent senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, in the upcoming election.
![8.-Product-Advertising-single](http://<script type="text/javascript">
document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {
jQuery( '#slider-pro-3-90' ).sliderPro({
//width
width: 320,
//height
height: 200,
//auto play
autoplay: true,
autoplayOnHover: 'none',
autoplayDelay: 5000,
arrows: false,
buttons: false,
smallSize: 500,
mediumSize: 1000,
largeSize: 3000,
fade: false,
//thumbnail
thumbnailArrows: true,
thumbnailWidth: 120,
thumbnailHeight: 120,
thumbnailsPosition: 'bottom',
centerImage: true,
imageScaleMode: 'exact',
allowScaleUp: true,
shuffle: true,
startSlide: 0,
loop: true,
slideDistance: 5,
autoplayDirection: 'normal',
touchSwipe: true,
fullScreen: true,
});
});
</script>
<div id="slider-pro-3-90" class="slider-pro">
<!---- slides div start ---->
<div class="sp-slides">
<div class="sp-slide">
<img class="sp-image" loading="lazy" alt="8.-Product-Advertising-single" src="https://polityreporters.ng/wp-content/plugins/ultimate-responsive-image-slider/assets/css/images/blank.gif" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/polityreporters.ng/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/8.-Product-Advertising-single.jpg?fit=796%2C360&ssl=1" />
</div>
<div class="sp-slide">
<img class="sp-image" loading="lazy" alt="Advertising-Industry-Sociology" src="https://polityreporters.ng/wp-content/plugins/ultimate-responsive-image-slider/assets/css/images/blank.gif" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/polityreporters.ng/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Advertising-Industry-Sociology.png?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1" />
</div>
<div class="sp-slide">
<img class="sp-image" loading="lazy" alt="06CKDPW" src="https://polityreporters.ng/wp-content/plugins/ultimate-responsive-image-slider/assets/css/images/blank.gif" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/polityreporters.ng/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/06CKDPW.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1" />
</div>
</div>
<!---- slides div end ---->
<!-- slides thumbnails div end -->
</div>
<style>
/* Layout 3 */
/* border */
#slider-pro-3-90 .sp-selected-thumbnail {
border: 4px solid #000000;
}
/* font + color */
.title-in {
font-family: Arial !important;
color: #FFFFFF !important;
background-color: #000000 !important;
opacity: 0.7 !important;
}
.desc-in {
font-family: Arial !important;
color: #FFFFFF !important;
background-color: #00000 !important;
opacity: 0.7 !important;
}
/* bullets color */
.sp-button {
border: 2px solid #000000 !important;
}
.sp-selected-button {
background-color: #000000 !important;
}
/* pointer color - bottom */
.sp-selected-thumbnail::before {
border-bottom: 5px solid #000000 !important;
}
.sp-selected-thumbnail::after {
border-bottom: 13px solid #000000 !important;
}
/* pointer color - top */
/* full screen icon */
.sp-full-screen-button::before {
color: #FFFFFF !important;
}
/* hover navigation icon color */
.sp-next-arrow::after, .sp-next-arrow::before {
background-color: #FFFFFF !important;
}
.sp-previous-arrow::after, .sp-previous-arrow::before {
background-color: #FFFFFF !important;
}
#slider-pro-3-90 .title-in {
color: #FFFFFF !important;
font-weight: bolder;
text-align: center;
}
#slider-pro-3-90 .title-in-bg {
background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7); !important;
white-space: unset !important;
transform: initial !important;
-webkit-transform: initial !important;
font-size: 14px !important;
}
#slider-pro-3-90 .desc-in {
color: #FFFFFF !important;
text-align: center;
}
#slider-pro-3-90 .desc-in-bg {
background: rgba(#00000, 0.7) !important;
white-space: unset !important;
transform: initial !important;
-webkit-transform: initial !important;
font-size: 13px !important;
}
@media (max-width: 640px) {
#slider-pro-3-90 .hide-small-screen {
display: none;
}
}
@media (max-width: 860px) {
#slider-pro-3-90 .sp-layer {
font-size: 18px;
}
#slider-pro-3-90 .hide-medium-screen {
display: none;
}
}
.slides-not-found {
background-color: #a92929;
border-radius: 5px;
color: #fff;
font-family: initial;
text-align: center;
padding:12px;
}
/* Custom CSS */
</style>
)
ADVERTISE WITH US
Do you want to reach your targeted audience and expand your brand’s visibility?
Advertise with Polity Reporters to place your “message” before the right audience.
For advertising enquiries, reach us through:
Email: bandcommunications001@gmail.com
Facebook: Polity Reporters
WhatsApp: 07043810558
“Journalism is what we need to make democracy work.”
“News is what somebody somewhere wants to suppress; all the rest is advertising.”
“Journalism can never be silent: that is its greatest virtue and its greatest fault.”
“The duty of a journalist is to convey the truth as clearly and fully as possible.”
“Good journalism is about results. It is about affecting your community or your society in the most progressive way.”
“Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed; everything else is public relations.”
“A free press is not a privilege but an organic necessity in a great society.”
“The press was to serve the governed, not the governors.”
“Journalism without a moral position is impossible.”
“The function of journalism is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.”
