Anioma People Are Not Stupid” — Ned Nwoko Fires Back At APC Primary Defeat Claims

The reaction follows media reports claiming that Nwoko lost the Delta North APC senatorial primary held on Monday to former Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa.

However, in a statement issued by Tonnie Oganah, who serves as Media Director for the Anioma State creation movement championed by Nwoko, the senator urged those celebrating the alleged outcome to be careful and avoid actions that could conflict with the law.

Nwoko maintained that the official result of the senatorial primary had not yet been announced, stressing that only the national headquarters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja has the authority to release authentic results.

He argued that all aspirants have areas of political strength and warned that releasing partial figures could create a misleading impression and distort the true outcome of the exercise.

The statement described Nwoko as a symbol of the Anioma struggle for identity and economic advancement, noting that his campaign for the creation of Anioma State is aimed at increasing political representation for the region.

According to the statement, the proposed Anioma State would produce three senators and nine members of the House of Representatives, compared to the current structure where the region has only one senator and three House of Representatives members.

It also stated that the creation of the state would lead to more state assembly seats, councillorship positions, and additional local government areas, while retaining Asaba as the capital.

The statement further claimed that Anioma people would not sacrifice their long-term political future for temporary political incentives allegedly offered by rival candidates.

It added that Nwoko was among the earliest prominent politicians in Delta State to openly support President Bola Tinubu and the APC before others joined the party.

The statement also argued that the APC would consider several factors before officially naming candidates, including issues relating to pending criminal cases and anti-corruption investigations.

It further stressed that under electoral laws and the APC constitution, politicians are expected to formally resign from previous political parties before joining another party, warning that dual party membership remains an offence under the law.