By joshua 
Kogi West APC Senatorial Race: Bisimilahi Rejects ‘Faceless’ Endorsement of Aro, Vows to Contest Primaries
The campaign organization of APC senatorial aspirant Alhaji Tajudeen Bisimilahi has rejected a communique purportedly endorsing Hon. Samuel Bamidele Aro as a consensus candidate for Kogi West, describing it as undemocratic and lacking legitimacy.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Media Directorate of the Alhaji Tajudeen Bisimilahi Senatorial Campaign said Bisimilahi was neither consulted nor consented to the document issued by a group identifying itself as “APC stakeholders in Kogi West Senatorial District.”
The directorate said the communique was signed by no identifiable party officer or elected leader and did not reflect the position of the APC structure in the district. It cited the Kogi West Progressives Forum, which had earlier faulted similar endorsements, insisting that only Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo holds final authority as state party leader.
The campaign referenced recent statements by APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary Duro Meseko and Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who both noted that consensus is only valid where all aspirants agree, and that direct primaries must hold if there is disagreement.
“The purported ‘consensus’ was cooked up without consultation and presented as a fait accompli,” the statement said. “This is not a consensus, it is an attempt to bypass transparent party processes.”
Bisimilahi’s team also raised concerns over Aro’s political history, including his 2014 exit from the APC to the Accord Party, his 2019 and 2022 participation in PDP primaries, and his return to the APC in July 2025. It further cited his company’s involvement in a 2014 fuel subsidy case and reports of alleged plans to support another party’s presidential candidate in 2027.
The campaign maintained that Bisimilahi remains in the race and will not withdraw. It said he has been a consistent APC member since joining the party, contested the 2018 senatorial primary, and has maintained grassroots support across Yagba land and the wider Kogi West district.
“The primaries are scheduled for May 10, 2026. We urge our supporters not to be distracted. Alhaji Bisimilahi will face any aspirant in a free, fair, and credible primary,” the statement said.
The campaign called on the APC National Working Committee and Governor Ododo to disregard the communique and ensure that no aspirant is excluded from the contest. It urged delegates to reject any attempt to subvert the process and vote according to their conscience.
Aro’s campaign has not issued a response to the allegations as of press time.
Kogi West Senatorial District comprises Lokoja, Kogi/Koton Karfe, Kabba/Bunu, Ijumu, Yagba East, Yagba West, and Mopamuro LGAs.