Ned Nwoko is the senator representing Delta North Senatorial District at the National Assembly. In this interview monitored on Arise Television, he speaks on alleged manipulation of the Delta North APC senatorial primary election by some political figures in the state and his determination to challenge the outcome in court, among other issues, EVINCE UHUREBOR reports
The officially declared result of the Delta North APC senatorial primary election says ex-Governor Ifeanyi Okowa won decisively but you insist you won overwhelmingly. For those trying to separate fact from political spin, on what evidence do you base your claim?
It is based on what happened at the various wards. I come from Delta North, which is made up of 98 wards. And the primary took place in all the 98 wards. So, we have the result sheets.
We have videos supporting every figure that we have; ward by ward results; the videos are also available and we have submitted them. And, of course, as you probably know, halfway through the primary, we got messages on our phones that no result should be announced at the ward levels, that they should be collated and then announced later, that the national in Abuja will announce the results.
So, we thought it would be law abiding; my people were telling me, come on, you won, announce it. And suddenly, about 7.pm or so, we saw some video, only just one video from one of the wards in Ika Northeast, which is a ward where the major assistants known to everybody that work with the governor, former commissioners and those of them.
They’re from that particular village next to the governor’s village. And there’s just one video showing three people in the line and then the rest that were probably not more than 500. That was what I saw in the video. Although, in the results, they said there were 5,000. Just, you know, these guys are so dishonest.
But the APC’s returning officer announced Okowa as the winner…
Let me tell you, these are people appointed by the governor. The so-called returning officer was appointed by the governor. I actually wanted to see them. I was told that they were kept in the government house. I was not allowed to see them. So, from day one, it was manipulated.
So, the incumbent governor is in cahoots with Okowa…
Of course, yes. We all know that. The video that you saw where Okowa was announced as the winner was just one video from one ward out of 98 wards. Maybe, they should show us other videos. They must show us the figures.
If the party hierarchy at the national secretariat eventually upholds the declared result against you, will you accept it, or are you heading towards litigation?
No, I wouldn’t because I have a mandate from the people. I was there, and things were quite okay. I’ve sent you some videos. And there’s a crowd of people who are jubilating, who are happy to come out to support my choice as the candidate for them. And then, some guys who believe in a system just think they can frustrate that or they can stop it. They can’t. So, certainly, we’ll be heading towards litigation.
Nigerian politics repeatedly sees allegations of coercion during primaries. I mean, why does internal party competition becoming a contest of force rather than persuasion? Is there something in the character of the Nigerian politician?
There is because you will see somebody like my opponent; he doesn’t believe in the people, he believes in a system. He feels that he can put what he calls a structure within political circles. He makes sure that this guy is elected as a House of Assembly member or as a local government chairman or the party chairman. So, he puts them there, and they control everything with him. He doesn’t really relate with the people.
But the reverse is the case with me. I relate with the people. I’m not a system person, so the people are with me, and they will always be with me. However, Okowa and the governor have the commissioners, the House of Assembly members, House of Representatives members. But as far as I’m concerned, these guys work for themselves. They don’t really care about the people, you know, the way things are done.
The APC, your party, presents itself as Nigeria’s most organized political party. Does this controversy suggest deeper weaknesses in internal democracy? I mean, if aspirants within the ruling party cannot trust primary processes, what message does that send about democratic culture more broadly?
I can talk about my state. You know, I was in PDP. I got elected as a PDP senator. But I realised t that the governor and Okowa didn’t allow me to operate freely. For example, I wanted to recommend the appointment of some commissioners or nominate some council chairman to be elected but I was told, sorry, you can’t, it’s not for you.
The governor told me I couldn’t do it, that I must refer to Okowa for everything, including projects that are considered important for our people. For example, the coal pipeline plant. I wanted a step down from it to be achieved. It was commissioned in 2005 by President Olusegun Obasanjo and that power plant produces almost 1,000 plus megawatts.
I’m not saying I’m going to work against the party or I’m going to work for the party, but I can assure you of this. I’m sure that the President will intervene in this matter
Part of the power supply to Abuja is from there. In fact, it supplies power to to Enugu, Anambra and Kogi states, coming down to Abuja. But there was darkness in these areas.
So, as soon as I was elected, I took it up. The Federal Government agreed that it would do this and I moved a motion on the floor of the Senate, which was totally supported. I went to the governor and said: This particular project is important and it’s going to cost XYZ; can you please do it. The Federal governments don’t have the money to undertake such projects but it is willing to partner with the state to do it. He wouldn’t do it.
And then, when I was in the House of Reps, I also introduced a dam, Ogwashi Uku Dam. The dam has been built by the Federal Government; all that is left is just to do the water treatment plant. Again, I got in touch with the Minister of Water Resources. He sent me a letter saying that they’ve done their own part. The rest is for the state to do. The governor wouldn’t do it.
He wouldn’t do it because you were not a member of the APC…
No. At that time, we were all in the PDP. But he told me that it is not his priority. They couldn’t do it. There was also another road project, the coastal road. He wouldn’t do it. I’m just telling you why I left them at the point that I left them.
I didn’t leave them because I was wanted for any criminal matter. I have no problem with anybody. I went over to the APC. I was there and doing my thing, trying to at least get federal attention to do my projects and suddenly, they came over.
Some would say that Okowa, who was the former governor, brings enormous political experience and structure. Are you challenging an individual or an entire political structure?
In Delta State, he has his own political structure. I have mine but the people are my structure and my allegiance is to the people. Okowa was made governor by Chief James Ibori as you know; the same way that he, Okowa, also made the current governor. So, the current governor is practically doing everything that Okowa wants him to do. That is the problem.
Is this another case of powerful politicians fighting over positions, while ordinary Nigerians struggle with insecurity and economic hardship?
I mean, why should voters care which elite faction wins this battle? Well, they came out in mass to vote for me. It’s also an indication of who they want. I’ve sent you all the videos. Perhaps, he should also have his own video to show you. It’s as simple as that.
If your claim is correct and genuine that winners can be denied recognition internally within the APC, does that risk creating resentment that weakens the APC ahead of the 2027 elections?
That will certainly happen. Well, I’m not going to say I’m going to work against the party or I’m going to work for the party, but I can assure you that the President will intervene in this matter. He knows the issues and he’s a democrat. He will certainly look at the issues and look at the processes that threw up the current crisis. He will intervene.
What if the President calls you and says you need to repose your trust in the system and the system goes against you…
The President knows what’s happening in Delta. He knows that the legacy APC members have been shoved aside by the new PDP, the PDP guys that came into the party. He knows that they control the party. He knows that there are fundamental problems in Delta.
So, over time, they’ve been trying to sort it out, but they haven’t. Unfortunately, not until we just went into the primaries. I know there are similar problems in maybe Bauchi or in Benue, but I’m sure that the President is looking into them because they wouldn’t want people to leave the party.
Some political analysts and members of the opposition had talked about the APC imploding because of mass defection to the party and by that defection, threatening the people who were there all along and working hard to maintain the party’s structures. Would you admit that this is what is happening?
The fact is that the legacy APC members have been shoved aside and the new guys that came in took over practically everything.
Was that the prize that was given to them for them to move into the APC?
It must be. Myself and others were promised that there would be discussions on the new structure of the party. We had meetings with the former national chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, who was the national chairman and other leaders of the party and we were assured that there would be some power sharing formula.
We were even told, for example, that the state executive would be dissolved and there would be nominations to enable the old APC to get a foothold in the government but that was never done. So, I was certainly told before I came into the party that there would be an automatic ticket for me and why would I just leave like that without making sure that I have a secure backing.
