By Gloria Drealomalicha
Senator Ned Nwoko has opened up about his experience during the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries, shedding light on alleged agreements, promises and internal disputes that surrounded the party’s political process.
Speaking during an interview on Prime Time, the Delta North senator recalled how some politicians who defected into the APC were allegedly assured of inclusion in the party’s leadership structure and government appointments by the party’s former national chairman.
According to him, those assurances played a significant role in convincing many new entrants to join the ruling party.
Nwoko explained that he and several others were made to believe that discussions would be held to create a new political structure that would accommodate both old and new members of 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.
He added that they were informed that the existing state executive would be dissolved to allow fresh nominations that would give the old APC bloc a stronger foothold within the government. However, he claimed that the arrangement never materialised.
The senator also revealed that he was allegedly promised an automatic ticket before officially joining the APC, only to later find himself participating in the regular competitive primary election process.
Speaking candidly, Nwoko suggested that the development came as a surprise, especially after what he described as earlier assurances given to him before his defection.
“I certainly was told before I came into the party that there would be automatic ticket for me, and why would I just leave like that without making sure that I have a secure ride?” he stated.
Despite the controversies surrounding the primaries, the lawmaker maintained that he remained confident about his performance during the exercise.
Nwoko insisted that he had evidence showing he won in 98 wards, dismissing contrary claims linked to the outcome of the primaries.
According to him, former Delta State governor Ifeanyi Okowa only presented evidence from a single ward where issues allegedly occurred.
“We won in 98 wards. All that Ifeanyi Okowa did was just to throw evidence of one ward where there was an issue,” he said.
His remarks have further highlighted the lingering tensions and disagreements surrounding internal party politics and primary elections within the APC.
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