By Austin Oyibode
Senator Ned Nwoko representing Delta North in the National Assembly has said that the 25 years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership in Delta State will end in the 2027 general elections.
Senator Ned Nwoko who recently defected to the All Progressive Congress APC spoke in Idumuje Ugboko his country home on Friday, February 22, 2025.
The Senator, who was excited to join the ruling party, revealed that the PDP has held Delta hostage for the past 25 years, revealing that the people and the state have never experienced the needed development for meaningful economic growth.
Senator Nwoko who is chairman of the Senate Committee on Reparations and Repatriation and also chairman Senate Ad-hoc Committee on investigating crude oil theft in the Niger Delta, said following the hold of PDP on the state, the people of Delta had no choice but to continue wallowing in the shackles of the PDP.
He said the party has lost track because the party leaders are not interested in the welfare of the people but in what they could amass for themselves and prosecute subsequent elections to keep themselves perpetually in power.
He said: “I’ve been with them. They don’t understand governance. For them, it is business as usual. They do everything to perpetuate themselves in power. They do not care for the people. Imagine 25 years of PDP in Delta, there’s been no competition.
“In America, the Republicans will come to power for eight years, they will do everything possible to show that they are very good. But in the next election, the electorates will give power to the Democrats to show what they can do and how good they are. But not so in Delta.”
“So, 25 years of slavery in Delta must come to an end. I have found an alternative party. I know Okowa and Sheriff Oborevwori will not change. I refuse to be part of such people who are only after themselves and not the people.”
Senator Ned Nwoko who said his major pursuit is making life good and meaningful for his constituents, noted: “If I can’t do anything for my people, then I shouldn’t be called a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
He added: “I don’t want to answer Senator for the sake of it. That’s why I was angry with the governor when he wanted to give me a land cruiser and a monthly N10m. The money is not for me. The money belongs to the people. You can imagine if I had taken the money, that’s what they would have been using to attack me.”
Senator Nwoko further explained that he has four major projects which he must achieve as a member of the National Assembly.
He listed Oko Road running from Asaba through Aboh to Ase, which according to him will cost not less than N28billion.
He said the road must be done for every reason, adding that the coastal road will improve tourism and it will stop the perennial flooding which that area has suffered over the years.
He said the next project he will complete is the Ogwashi Uku dam and thereafter the Okpai power plant step down.
These projects, according to him, are dear to his heart and he will of necessity work to actualise them for the good of his constituents.
He said the fourth and one of the key projects to his heart is the creation of Anioma state noting that the creation of Anioma state is his major concern.
He said that the creation of Anioma state will give Delta North people needed freedom from the shackles of the PDP government for the past 25 years.
He explained that leaders of the All Progressive Congress (APC) from the state to the federal level have assured him of support for the actualisation of Anioma state.
He bemoaned the unwillingness of the state government and PDP leaders to the creation of Anioma state.
He said the PDP leaders have so much brainwashed the people to the extent that Commissioners, the House of Assembly and others will not talk about Anioma state.
He said he consulted the assembly members on the Anioma state creation but they responded that they needed to consult the former governor before giving him their response.
He said despite his persuasion for them to work together, they feel answerable to the party leaders and not the people.
He said: “After the last election, they started scheming on how to make sure I don’t have support among the people. They want me to just keep quiet for four years and just answer Senator Ned Nwoko. The president has assured me that if I join his party, Anioma state will be created. That is freedom for Delta people.”
