A fresh political controversy has erupted within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) following serious allegations by the campaign organization of Senator Ned Nwoko against former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa over the conduct of the Delta North Senatorial APC Direct Primaries.
In an official statement issued on May 18, 2026, the Director General of the Senator Ned Nwoko Campaign Organization, Hon. Samuel Ekene Kerry, accused Okowa of violating party guidelines and called for his immediate disqualification from the senatorial primary process.
The campaign organization alleged that the former governor collaborated with certain members of the primary election panel to facilitate what it described as an unlawful declaration of victory in the Delta North Senatorial Primary Election.
According to the statement, the action was taken despite directives from the APC national leadership that no candidate should be officially declared winner until the completion of collation and verification procedures by the National Working Committee (NWC) in Abuja.
The statement maintained that both the APC National Organising Secretary and the Office of the National Chairman had instructed that all National Assembly direct primary results must undergo official verification before any declaration could be made.
Describing the directive as “clear, binding, and unambiguous,” the organization insisted that all aspirants and electoral officials were expected to comply fully with the party’s established procedures.
The Nwoko campaign further claimed that ward-by-ward results from the exercise showed Senator Ned Nwoko as the legitimate winner of the primary election.
It stated that the senator and his supporters intentionally avoided making premature public declarations out of respect for party supremacy and internal democratic processes.
The statement accused Okowa of engaging in “desperation, political manipulation, and disregard for due process,” warning that such actions could undermine the integrity and credibility of the APC.
In a broader political critique, the campaign organization also revisited Okowa’s role during the 2023 presidential election cycle, alleging that he abandoned the principles of Southern political unity after previously supporting power rotation to Southern Nigeria during meetings of Southern Governors held in Asaba while serving as governor.
According to the statement, Okowa’s acceptance of the vice-presidential position under a Northern presidential candidate in 2023 contradicted the position he had publicly championed regarding equity and regional balance.
The organization further argued that the political influence and strategic leadership of Bola Ahmed Tinubu helped avert what it described as potentially serious constitutional and regional consequences for the country.
Escalating its demands, the Nwoko Campaign Organization called on the APC National Working Committee to nullify the declaration allegedly announcing Okowa as winner of the Delta North primary, sanction officials accused of breaching party directives, and formally disqualify the former governor from the process.
Among the demands outlined by the organization were:
Immediate rejection of the declaration in favour of Okowa; Disciplinary measures against officials allegedly involved in violating party guidelines;
Disqualification of Okowa over alleged misconduct and disobedience to party directives;
Recognition of what it described as the authentic and lawfully collated results indicating Ned Nwoko as winner of the primary election.
The campaign organization described the unfolding controversy as a critical test of the APC’s commitment to internal democracy, discipline, fairness, and party supremacy.
Political observers believe the dispute could further intensify tensions within the APC in Delta State and potentially lead to broader legal and institutional challenges regarding the legitimacy of the primary election outcome.
