Senator Ned Nwoko, the lawmaker representing Delta North Senatorial Zone and former governor of Imo State, Chief Rochas Okorocha, have suffered crushing defeat in the just concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) Senate primaries.
Though, the results shocked many while it left others rejoicing as there were jubilation in the camp of those who won while there were lamentations in that of those who lost.
Those that won are some of the presiding officers of the Senate–Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele.
Sitting governors who won are Hope Uzodinma of Imo, Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe, Abdulrahman Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara and Dapo Abiodun of Ogun. Former governor Ramalan Yero also secured ticket for Kaduna North senatorial zone.
The elections in many centers were not concluded due to disagreements over the method to use and late arrival of materials for the polls.
Those who were successful include those whose fate were decided through consensus arrangements and those who submitted to the contests through direct primaries, polling the highest figures.
Diaspora Digital Media understand that many aspirants withdrew from the race.
There were others who were not cleared by the screening committee of the party while there were those who lost out in the selection of consensus candidates and those who submitted to voting but still lost after the exercise.
In Delta State, Okowa secured a landslide victory in the APC primaries conducted across the nine local government areas of the district, polling 113,309 votes to defeat Nwoko, who garnered 2,612 votes.
The outcome marks a major political upset in Delta North, ending Nwoko’s bid to retain the party’s senatorial ticket and further reshaping the political landscape ahead of the 2027 polls.
Speaking after the victory, Okowa commended party members and supporters for their overwhelming confidence in him, promising to provide effective and people-oriented representation if elected into the Senate.
“I thank my people for the love they have showered upon me, and I pray that the Lord God will continue to energise me to do the best I can for the whole of Delta North. I have one promise: that I will serve the people with all my heart,” he said.
Okowa stressed the importance of accessibility and regular engagement with constituents, noting that elected representatives must remain close to the people they serve.
“I expect to return home as regularly as possible to greet our people. You cannot be a senator and stay away from your people because they sent you to represent them. I shall be a good representative of the good people of Delta North. Whenever my presence is needed, they will surely find me,” he added
Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, won the Imo West Senatorial District (Orlu Zone), defeating former Governor Rochas Okorocha by a landslide.
Uzodimma secured 230,464 votes, while Okorocha polled 1,098 votes in the Option A4 primary conducted on Monday.
The results was declared at the party’s collation headquarters in Orlu Local Government Area by the Chairman and Returning Officer of the National Assembly APC Primary Election Committee for Imo State, Rear Admiral Williams Kayode (retd.).
Announcing the result, Kayode said Uzodimma recorded a sweeping victory across the 12 local government areas of Orlu Zone.
In a statement issued by the State spokesman of the APC, Onwuasoanya Jones, the party said: “Voting was conducted across the 305 wards LGAs of the State. While LGA collation of results have also concluded across most LGAs, Returning Officers across the three Senatorial Districts are currently in the process of collating the results at the various Senatorial District Collation centres.
“It is noteworthy that many of the Senatorial aspirants had heeded the advice and pleas of the Leader of the Party, His Excellency Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, CON, by withdrawing from the race just before the voting commenced. These party members who withdrew from the race, without any form of compulsion or intimidation, are the real winners and heroes of this contest, as they made the election easier, smoother ad strengthened our party’s unity. As a party, we shall not take their selfless sacrifices for granted.
“We also salute the courage of other aspirants who insisted on going to the field to test their popularity and we wish them the very best of luck, as we await the final collation and announcement of results across the Senatorial Districts.
“We are grateful to the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who deployed their staff across the State to monitor the primary election process. We also thank the security agents and hundreds of our Party members who volunteered themselves to serve in different capacities to ensure the smooth conduct of the primary election.”
