Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North Senatorial District, has raised serious concerns over alleged manipulation of the upcoming All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election in the zone. In a statement released by his Campaign Organisation on Monday, Nwoko accused agents of the Delta State government of working to undermine the will of the people and block his emergence as the party’s candidate. He specifically pointed to former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC last year, as being behind the alleged interference.
According to Ekene Kerry, Director General of Nwoko’s Campaign Organisation, the state government has prioritized obstructing Nwoko’s path to the APC ticket despite his widespread support. The statement claimed that the panel appointed to conduct the primary elections has been “held hostage,” with state government appointees allegedly acting as returning officers at ward and Local Government Area levels to rig results in favor of Okowa. There are also reports that officials plan to defy directives from the APC National Headquarters to transmit results to Abuja, fearing Nwoko’s popularity could influence the outcome.
Nwoko’s campaign team recalled that during the 2023 general elections, Okowa, then a sitting governor and PDP vice presidential candidate, lost Delta State to the Labour Party by a significant margin—341,866 votes to 161,600. On the same day, the people of Delta North re-elected Senator Ned Nwoko over both Labour Party and APC candidates, demonstrating their continued confidence in him. The campaign team emphasized that the people have spoken before and will do so again in the upcoming primary.
Nwoko, who joined the APC after observing the PDP’s decline, stated that he was vilified by individuals who are now part of the APC leadership and are currently attempting to hijack the party’s internal processes. His campaign warned that supporters are facing threats of violence, but affirmed that they will not be intimidated. “No one has a monopoly of violence,” the statement declared, urging supporters to remain peaceful and turn out in large numbers.
The campaign is calling on the APC National Headquarters, security agencies, and all democracy advocates to ensure the primary is free, fair, and credible. They urged Delta North residents to participate massively and peacefully to return Senator Ned Nwoko to the 11th National Assembly. The outcome of this primary could set a significant precedent for political integrity and democratic participation in Delta State.
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