Former Delta State Governor, Senator (Dr.) Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa, has defeated Senator Ned Nwoko to secure the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senatorial ticket for Delta North ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Dr. Okowa defeated incumbent senator, Ned Nwoko, and Maryam Ali during the party’s primary election conducted across the Delta North Senatorial district’s nine local government areas.
Announcing the results, the APC Returning Officer, Prof. Johnbull Tonukari, declared Dr. Okowa winner after polling 113,309 votes in the exercise.
Prof. Tonukari said Senator Nwoko secured 2,612 votes, while Ms. Ali polled 40 votes in the primary election conducted across the senatorial district.
He said three aspirants contested the ticket, namely Messrs Okowa and Nwoko, and Ms. Ali, with delegates voting across the nine councils in Delta North.
According to him, Dr. Okowa dominated the contest from the opening stages and maintained substantial leads across nearly all the local government areas announced.
“In Ndokwa East LGA, Dr. Okowa polled 9,436 votes, while Senator Nwoko secured 79 votes and Ms. Ali recorded 15 votes”, Prof. Tonukari stated.
He said the former governor also won convincingly in Ika South, polling 9,763 votes against Senator Nwoko’s 19 votes, while Ms. Ali did not secure any vote.
Prof. Tonukari added that Dr. Okowa maintained his lead in Oshimili North Local Government Area after polling 13,110 votes during the exercise.
He said Senator Nwoko recorded 287 votes in Oshimili North, while Ms. Ali again failed to secure any vote in the council area.
“In Ukwuani LGA, Dr. Okowa polled 12,167 votes, while Senator Nwoko recorded 105 votes and Ms. Ali scored no vote”, the returning officer said.
Prof. Tonukari disclosed that Dr. Okowa also defeated Senator Nwoko in the incumbent senator’s local government area during the primary election.
He said Dr. Okowa polled 5,480 votes in the council, while Senator Nwoko secured 1,343 votes in what party members described as a major upset.
The returning officer further stated that Dr. Okowa extended his dominance in Aniocha South and Oshimili South local government areas.
According to him, Dr. Okowa secured 10,353 votes in Aniocha South and 11,616 votes in Oshimili South during the primary contest.
He said Senator Nwoko polled 168 votes in Aniocha South and recorded 74 votes in Oshimili South, while Ms. Ali failed to make significant impact.
“In Ika North East LGA, Dr. Okowa polled 26,185 votes, while Senator Nwoko scored 24 votes and Ms. Ali recorded no vote”, Prof. Tonukari added.
He also announced that Dr. Okowa secured 15,199 votes in Ndokwa West to defeat Senator Nwoko, who polled 513 votes in the council.
Prof. Tonukari said Ms. Ali again failed to secure any vote in Ndokwa West during the senatorial primary election.
Following the announcement, the APC National Working Committee leader in Delta, Mr. Eugene Odo, formally declared Dr. Okowa winner of the primary election.
Odo stated that the exercise was peaceful, transparent and credible, adding that party members conducted themselves responsibly throughout the process.
“Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa is hereby declared winner, having scored the highest lawful votes cast in this peaceful and credible primary election”, he said.
Some party members who spoke at the event described the primary as orderly and largely violence-free across the district.
They commended party officials and security personnel for ensuring smooth coordination of the exercise in the various local government areas.
