'APC Promised Me Automatic Ticket' – Ned Nwoko Cries Betrayal

‘APC Promised Me Automatic Ticket’ – Ned Nwoko Cries Betrayal
Senator alleged Delta APC primary was manipulated in favour of Okowa.
Nwoko claimed he has evidence proving victory in 98 wards.

Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District, Ned Nwoko, has accused the All Progressives Congress, APC, of betraying him and failing to honour an alleged promise of an automatic ticket ahead of the 2027 general election.

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EKO HOT BLOG gathered that that former Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, secured 113,309 votes to defeat Nwoko, who polled 2,612 votes in the party primaries conducted on May 18.

Speaking during an interview on ARISE Television’s ‘Prime Time’ programme, Nwoko claimed that assurances of an automatic ticket were part of the conditions used by the APC to convince him to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The senator expressed shock over the outcome of the primary election, insisting that he had received repeated assurances from former APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, that he would emerge as the party’s candidate for the 2027 elections.

Nwoko also alleged that the primary election was manipulated in favour of Okowa, maintaining that he had evidence to support his claim that he won the exercise.

He said, “I certainly was told before I came into the party there would be an automatic ticket for me. Why would I just leave like that without making sure I have a secure ride?

“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. We had meetings with leaders of the party and we were assured that there would be some sharing formula, power-sharing formula. We were even told, for example, that the state EXCO would be dissolved and that there would be nominations to enable the old APC to get a foothold into the government.

“We won the primary. All Ifeanyi Okowa did was to show evidence of just one ward where there was an issue. I was there. I have the evidence. I have the video. You cannot convince somebody who is innocent to say, I am guilty. It’s not possible. We won the primary in 98 wards. No, I couldn’t have won his ward. It would be a foolhardy of me to think I would win his ward.”

Nwoko maintained that the APC leadership failed to keep the agreements allegedly reached before his defection to the ruling party.