Ned Nwoko Loses APC Senate Primary With Just 3 Votes

ASABA — Serving Delta North Senator Ned Nwoko has suffered a crushing defeat in the All Progressives Congress senatorial primary. Former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa trounced him in one of the most lopsided results of the entire primary season.

In Ward 9, Okpanam, Okowa scored 4,462 votes. Nwoko received just 3 votes. A third aspirant, Maryam Alli, finished with 40 votes. The final declared result across the senatorial zone gave Okowa 113,309 votes to Nwoko’s 2,612.

Nwoko had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC in January 2025. He had hoped his move to the ruling party would give him the backing needed to retain his senate seat. Instead, delegates backed the former governor by a massive margin.

Okowa, who served as Delta governor from 2015 to 2023, is widely regarded as one of the most powerful political figures in the state. His network of local government and ward-level contacts gave him an overwhelming advantage in the delegate-based primary.

A Bad Day for Big Names

Nwoko was not the only high-profile politician to suffer a shock defeat. Former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege also lost his contest in Delta Central. Ede Dafinone defeated him with 116,252 votes against Omo-Agege’s 3,643. Omo-Agege rejected the result and alleged fraud.

Furthermore, former Senate Leader Danjuma Goje also lost his primary. His defeat, along with Nwoko’s and Omo-Agege’s, signals that serving senators with powerful profiles are no longer guaranteed safe passage through APC primaries.

Political analysts say the results show how much influence state governors have over primary outcomes. In Delta, Rivers, and Imo states, governorship allies swept primaries by margins that suggest the votes were heavily managed.

Winners and Consensus Deals

Not all primaries were contested. Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, and Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele all emerged either unopposed or through consensus arrangements. Ali Ndume retained his Borno South ticket by consensus.

In Imo State, Governor Hope Uzodimma defeated former governor Rochas Okorocha with 230,464 votes to 1,098. In Abia North, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu won with 65,651 votes. Senator Adams Oshiomhole ran unopposed in Edo North and polled 24,284 votes.

INEC’s May 30 deadline for completing all primaries still stands. Several disputed results are heading to appeal committees. Legal challenges are expected in at least five states, including Delta and Edo, where parallel results have already emerged.