Okowa defeats Nwoko, Ali for APC Delta North senatorial ticket

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Former governor, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa, on Monday secured the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial ticket for Delta North ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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Okowa defeated incumbent senator, Sen. Ned Nwoko, and Dr Maryam Ali during the party’s primary election conducted across the district’s nine local government areas.

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Announcing the results, the APC Returning Officer, Prof. Johnbull Tonukari, declared Okowa winner after polling 113,309 votes in the exercise.

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Tonukari said Nwoko secured 2,612 votes, while Ali polled 40 votes in the primary election conducted peacefully across the senatorial district.

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He said three aspirants contested the ticket, namely Okowa, Nwoko and Ali, with delegates voting across the nine councils in Delta North.

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According to him, Okowa dominated the contest from the opening stages and maintained substantial leads across nearly all the local government areas announced.

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“In Ndokwa East LGA, Okowa polled 9,436 votes, while Nwoko secured 79 votes and Ali recorded 15 votes,” Tonukari stated.

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He said the former governor also won convincingly in Ika South, polling 9,763 votes against Nwoko’s 19 votes, while Ali failed to secure any vote.

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Tonukari added that Okowa maintained his lead in Oshimili North Local Government Area after polling 13,110 votes during the exercise.

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He said Nwoko recorded 287 votes in Oshimili North, while Ali again failed to secure any vote in the council area.

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“In Ukwuani LGA, Okowa polled 12,167 votes, while Nwoko recorded 105 votes and Ali scored no vote,” the returning officer said.

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Tonukari disclosed that Okowa also defeated Nwoko in the incumbent senator’s local government area during the primary election.

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He said Okowa polled 5,480 votes in the council, while Nwoko secured 1,343 votes in what party members described as a major upset.

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The returning officer further stated that Okowa extended his dominance in Aniocha South and Oshimili South local government areas.

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According to him, Okowa secured 10,353 votes in Aniocha South and 11,616 votes in Oshimili South during the primary contest.

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He said Nwoko polled 168 votes in Aniocha South and recorded 74 votes in Oshimili South, while Ali failed to make significant impact.

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“In Ika North East LGA, Okowa polled 26,185 votes, while Nwoko scored 24 votes and Ali recorded no vote,” Tonukari added.

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He also announced that Okowa secured 15,199 votes in Ndokwa West to defeat Nwoko, who polled 513 votes in the council.

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Tonukari said Ali again failed to secure any vote in Ndokwa West during the senatorial primary election.

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Following the announcement, APC National Working Committee leader in Delta, Mr Eugene Odo, formally declared Okowa winner of the primary election.

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Odo said the exercise was peaceful, transparent and credible, adding that party members conducted themselves responsibly throughout the process.

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“Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa is hereby declared winner, having scored the highest lawful votes cast in this peaceful and credible primary election,” he said.

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Some party members who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) described the primary as orderly and largely violence-free across the district.

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They commended party officials and security personnel for ensuring smooth coordination of the exercise in the various local government areas.

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(NAN)

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