Ned Nwoko Says Okowa Did Not Allow Him Perform, Faults APC Primary Elections

By Ayodele Oni 

Ned Nwoko, a Barrister-at-Law,  who represents Delta North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, has alleged that former Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, did not allow him to freely perform as a Senator. At the time Okowa was in PDP, and so was Nwoko.

Nwoko was the first to defect to the APC before Okowa and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori joined. Their defection to APC increased Nwoko’s problems, he said. He had no free hand.

In his monumental loss to Okowa for his reelection to the Senate Primaries, Woko also alleged that

aspirants for the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary in Delta State were

denied the opportunity to freely participate in the exercise.

According to him, the whole process was influenced by the state government to favour selected aspirants.

A report by Arise News quoted Nwoko as saying that the process was designed in a way that weakened internal party democracy and created advantages for preferred candidates during the exercise.

He maintained that the conduct of the primaries did not reflect a level playing field for all participants involved in the senatorial contest.

The lawmaker described the exercise as one that raised questions regarding fairness and openness within the party’s internal electoral procedures.

He noted that the process generated dissatisfaction among some participants who expected a more transparent method of selecting candidates for the senatorial race.

Nwoko maintained that the exercise lacked the transparency required for credible internal party elections, and this, in his view, affected the confidence of participants in the outcome.

He emphasized that internal democracy within political parties should be protected to ensure fairness and inclusion.

Nwoko also explained the circumstances that led to his departure from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stating that his decision was influenced by limitations he experienced while serving as a senator under the party.

He claimed that he was unable to operate freely due to interference in political and legislative activities, which affected his ability to effectively carry out his responsibilities.

He added that the interference extended to decision-making processes and constituency-related projects, which he said were often influenced by the state leadership.

The senator maintained that such restrictions created an environment where independent representation was difficult, prompting his eventual political realignment.

He stressed that elected representatives should be allowed to function without undue interference from party or state structures.

The lawmaker reiterated that the situation in both the PDP and the recent APC primaries reflected broader concerns about internal party control and political influence in Delta State.

He maintained that these issues continue to affect democratic processes within party structures and the selection of candidates for elective positions.

 “I was in PDP. I got elected as a PDP Senator. But I realized that my people there—the Governor, Okowa himself—you know, didn’t allow me to operate freely.”