Senator Ned Nwoko has rejected the primary election result of the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primaries in Delta North, Delta saying it was manipulated to favour selected candidates.
In an interview, the Delta North senator expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct of the primaries, insisting that the process lacked fairness, transparency and credibility.
“I wouldn’t accept. Because I have a mandate. I have a mandate by the people,” he declared.
He insisted that the exercise was compromised from the onset through coordinated efforts allegedly designed to produce predetermined results.
“The process was manipulated from day one. The State Government. It’s something that they conspired to produce results,” Nwoko stated.
Nwoko claimed that his political camp was in possession ward-by-ward results and video evidence from the primary election, adding that the materials had already been forwarded to relevant authorities for proper review and investigation.
He dismissed a viral video showing former Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, being declared winner, arguing that the footage represented only one ward out of the 98 wards involved in the exercise.
“I want you to understand something. The video that you saw, where Ifeanyi 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,” he said.
He explained that his earlier decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stemmed from frustrations over alleged political restrictions imposed on him by the Delta political establishment.
“I was in PDP. I got elected as a PDP Senator. But I realized that my people there, the Governor Okowa himself, didn’t allow me to operate freely,” he said.
The embittered lawmaker expressed confidence that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would intervene in the matter, while reaffirming his loyalty and commitment to the APC.
“I’m not going to say I’m going to work against the party; 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,” he added.
Sunrisereporters.
