ABUJA, Nigeria — President Bola Tinubu has extended birthday wishes to former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, commending his contributions to youth participation in governance, even as the ex-governor faces an ongoing corruption trial over alleged financial misconduct.
In a statement released by the presidency on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, to mark Bello’s 50th birthday, President Tinubu praised his milestone achievement as Nigeria’s youngest democratically elected governor in the Fourth Republic.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu extends his warm felicitations to Alhaji Yahaya Bello, former Governor of Kogi State, on the occasion of his 50th birthday,” the statement read.
“The President commends Yahaya Bello’s historic emergence as the youngest democratically elected governor in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic and his role in advancing youth participation in governance. As he marks this golden milestone, President Tinubu wishes Alhaji Yahaya Bello continued good health, strength, and fulfilment in the years ahead.”
President Tinubu greets former Governor Yahaya Bello on 50th birthday
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu extends his warm felicitations to Alhaji Yahaya Bello, former Governor of Kogi State, on the occasion of his 50th birthday.
The President commends Yahaya Bello’s historic… pic.twitter.com/pSPMJdcq0i
— Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) June 18, 2025
Bello, who governed Kogi State from 2016 to 2024, rose to prominence in 2015 after the death of All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate Abubakar Audu.
At age 40, Bello was selected as a replacement and later won a second term in 2019.
The congratulatory message comes 14 months after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared Bello wanted in connection with an alleged ₦80 billion fraud.
The anti-corruption agency accused the former governor of engaging in large-scale money laundering, criminal breach of trust, and misappropriation of public funds during his time in office.
Following his failure to appear for arraignment, the EFCC obtained a warrant for his arrest and issued a red notice through Interpol to facilitate his capture across borders.
Bello eventually appeared at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, where he was taken into custody and later arraigned before a Federal High Court on Friday, December 13, 2024.
He pleaded not guilty to all 19 counts.
The court granted him bail in the sum of ₦500 million with stringent conditions, including the submission of his international passport and the provision of two sureties with properties in Abuja.
Since the commencement of the trial, several EFCC witnesses have testified on transactions allegedly tied to Bello’s administration.
The proceedings remain ongoing.
