FORMER Delta State governor and Senator, Ifeanyi Okowa, has defeated incumbent senator Ned Nwoko to clinch the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for the Delta North Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 general election.
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 thanked 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.
The APC primary result is expected to reshape political discussions within Delta State, with attention now shifting to the 2027 senatorial election and the possible implications of Nwoko’s defeat on the party’s internal dynamics in Delta North.
The party is currently conducting a wave of primaries across Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections, with contests for Senate, House of Representatives, governorship, and other party tickets already triggering major political realignments, surprise defeats, and internal disputes in several states.
The ongoing primaries follow the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 elections, prompting political parties to begin selecting candidates nationwide
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.