Ned Nwoko has threatened to head to court over the outcome of the All Progressives Congress senatorial primary, insisting that he emerged victorious based on results allegedly obtained from the wards.
Speaking in an interview with Arise TV, the senator rejected the declaration of former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as winner of the exercise, claiming the figures announced did not reflect the actual votes cast by party members.
Nwoko alleged that during the primary, party officials suddenly directed that ward results should no longer be announced immediately, adding that all results were instead to be moved to Abuja for collation and final declaration.
“We have submitted them. Halfway through the primary, we got a message on our phones that no results should be announced at the ward level — that they should be collected and then announced later at the national in Abuja.
“And so, we thought we’d be law-abiding. Suddenly, we saw some news. We saw only that one video — of one of the wards in Ika North East,” he said.
The lawmaker also questioned the authenticity of the figures announced from the ward shown in the viral video, arguing that the turnout captured did not correspond with the official numbers released.
“It was just one video, showing three people in a line, and then the rest that were probably not more than 500. That’s what I saw in the video. Although in the result, they said there were 5,000,” he stated.
Nwoko maintained that only one ward video had surfaced publicly and challenged party officials to release evidence and figures from the remaining 97 wards.
“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 added.
The senator further insisted that he would not recognise any result ratified by the APC leadership if it contradicted what he described as the true mandate given to him by party members.
“I wouldn’t accept it because I have a mandate. I have a mandate by the people. We will head towards litigation,” he said.
