APC primary: I defeated Okowa in 97 wards – Nwoko

By Lawrence Agbo

Senator Ned Nwoko has appealed to the leadership of the All Progressives Congress to preserve (APC) what he described as the clear mandate handed to him by party members during the Delta North senatorial primary election.

The lawmaker insisted that the outcome of the exercise showed overwhelming support for his candidacy, claiming he outpolled former Delta State governor Ifeanyi Okowa in nearly every ward across the district.

According to Nwoko, results from the primary reflected a decisive victory, with support spread across 97 of the 98 wards that make up Delta North.

“I defeated Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa overwhelmingly in 97 of the 98 wards, and I have video evidence from across the district to support the outcome,” he said.

The senator stated that the election result was a direct expression of the will of APC members and warned against any effort to alter or disregard it.

“Subverting the mandate freely given by APC members who turned out in large numbers to participate in the primaries would amount to an abuse of their wishes and sensibilities,” Nwoko said.

He maintained that recordings from polling locations across the district provide proof of how the exercise was conducted and the outcome that emerged.

Nwoko also took issue with claims that his rival had already secured victory, describing such declarations as inconsistent with the party’s established procedures for announcing primary election results.

He argued that the responsibility for collating and declaring results rests solely with the national leadership of the APC and not with individual aspirants or their supporters.

“Any premature declaration of victory is contrary to party guidelines and amounts to an attempt to influence public perception ahead of the completion of due process,” he stated.

The senator attributed his performance in the primary to what he described as strong grassroots support, built through his legislative activities and advocacy for the creation of Anioma State.

He further noted that he had remained committed to the APC long before the recent influx of politicians from other parties into its ranks.

Nwoko expressed confidence that the party’s national leadership would stand by the outcome of the primary and ensure that the choice made by members in Delta North is respected.

“The future of our party in Delta North depends on the confidence of our members that their votes count and that their voices will not be silenced by political manipulation,” he said.