Senator Ned Nwoko has openly challenged the outcome of the Delta North APC senatorial primary after suffering a heavy defeat to former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, claiming he was assured of an automatic ticket before defecting to the ruling party.
The primary election, which has already sparked political tension within the party, saw Okowa emerge victorious with a reported 113,309 votes, while Nwoko secured 2,612 votes. Another aspirant, Maryam Ali, reportedly polled 40 votes.
Shortly after the result was announced, Nwoko rejected the outcome and accused party officials of irregularities and manipulation during the exercise.
Speaking during an appearance on *Prime Time*, the senator alleged that promises made to him and other political figures before joining the All Progressives Congress were never fulfilled.
According to him, discussions on power-sharing arrangements and party restructuring were part of the agreement that persuaded several politicians to align with the APC.
“I, myself, and others were promised that there would be discussions on the new structure of the party, and we believed that there would be some power sharing formula,” he said.
Nwoko further claimed that assurances were given that the party’s state executive structure would be dissolved to create room for broader inclusion among new entrants into the party.
“We were told, for example, that the state executive would be dissolved and there would be nominations to enable the old APC to get a foothold into the government, but that was never done,” he stated.
The senator also made perhaps his strongest revelation during the interview, openly declaring that he was personally promised an automatic ticket before leaving his former political platform.
“I certainly was told before I came into the party that there would be automatic ticket for me,” he said.
“And why would I just leave like that without making sure that I have a secure ride?”
His comments have intensified political conversations in Delta State, particularly as the APC continues navigating internal tensions ahead of future elections.
Despite the official figures released after the primary, Nwoko insisted he performed strongly across the senatorial district and argued that the declared outcome did not reflect the true situation on the ground.
“We won in 98 wards,” he claimed.
“All that Ifeanyi Okowa did was just to throw evidence of one ward where there was an issue.”
The senator’s reaction has generated mixed responses online and within political circles.
While some supporters sympathized with his claims and questioned the process’s transparency, others argued that internal party politics often shift quickly and that verbal political assurances rarely guarantee electoral outcomes.
The development is particularly significant because of Okowa’s political influence in Delta State. As a former governor and one of the state’s most recognizable political figures, his return to frontline electoral politics under the APC banner is already being viewed as a major realignment ahead of future contests.
Nwoko’s allegations also highlight the growing tensions that sometimes arise when high-profile politicians defect between parties, expecting strategic advantages, appointments, or electoral protections that later become the subject of dispute.
For now, the senator appears unwilling to accept the result quietly, raising the possibility of further political or legal battles over the primary outcome in the coming weeks.
As reactions continue across Delta political circles, many observers believe the controversy could deepen internal divisions within the APC at a time when the party is attempting to strengthen its hold in the region.
