About 48 hours after the arrest and detention of a frontline aspirant for the Taraba Central Senatorial District, Bello Bodejo, pressure has reportedly mounted on him to withdraw from the race.
Papers News recalls that Bodejo was arrested in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, on May 7, 2026, by officials of the Department of State Services.
He was later flown to Abuja overnight and handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), where he remained in custody as of the time of filing this report.
Investigations by Daily Sun revealed that two days after his detention at the EFCC, authorities allegedly advised him to withdraw from the senatorial contest as one of the conditions for his release.
It was further gathered that Bodejo, who is also the national president of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Socio-Cultural Association, was allegedly told not to contest the 2027 senatorial seat but to wait until 2031.
Campaign DG Condemns Arrest
Bodejo’s Director of Campaign, Adamu Isa, condemned the manner of the arrest, describing it as humiliating.
He said the senatorial aspirant was arrested and flown to Abuja like a common criminal in the presence of his supporters.
Adamu said Bodejo, as a strong member of the All Progressives Congress, had worked tirelessly for the party, including using his personal resources and connections to support President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election.
The campaign director said those uncomfortable with Bodejo’s senatorial ambition should have invited him for a dialogue instead of allegedly using security agencies to intimidate and harass him.
He said Bodejo, as a peace-loving Nigerian, had the right to decide whether to withdraw from the race or continue.
Adamu, however, said any decision should follow genuine dialogue among all parties involved. He also claimed that the consensus committee set up by the Taraba APC never invited Bodejo to any meeting before his arrest.
The campaign director appealed to the APC national secretariat and critical stakeholders of the party to intervene in the matter.
He urged them to ensure that justice is done and that Bodejo is released from detention urgently. Adamu also called on Bodejo’s supporters to remain calm and law-abiding.
