By Oloye Ray
Political promises and party loyalty came under fresh scrutiny as Senator Ned Nwoko opened up on what he described as deception and betrayal following his move to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The senator, in a candid reflection on his experience within the party, alleged that assurances made to him and other political actors before their defection were ultimately abandoned, creating deep frustrations and sparking questions about internal party arrangements and power-sharing commitments.
Nwoko claimed that before joining the APC, he and others were assured that discussions would be held to restructure the party and create a more inclusive framework that would accommodate new entrants.
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According to him, there were expectations of negotiated political arrangements and a balance of influence between existing party members and newcomers.
“I, myself, and others were promised that there would be discussions on the new structure of the party, and we believed that there would be some power-sharing formula,” he said.
He further alleged that promises were made regarding the dissolution of the state executive and the introduction of a nomination process that would give former members from outside the APC a meaningful foothold in the party’s leadership and government structure.
“We were told, for example, that the state executive would be dissolved and there would be nominations to enable the old APC to get a foothold into the government, but that was never done,” he stated.
For Nwoko, the disappointment did not stop at party structure and leadership arrangements. He revealed that one of the strongest assurances that influenced his decision to join the APC was a promise of an automatic ticket.
Such guarantees, often controversial in Nigeria’s political landscape, are typically seen as strategic tools used to attract influential politicians and consolidate party strength ahead of elections.
Nwoko said he entered the party believing his political future had been secured through those discussions, only to later find himself subjected to the conventional and competitive primary process.
“I certainly was told before I came into the party that there would be automatic ticket for me, and why would I just leave like that without making sure that I have a secure ride?” he said.
The senator’s remarks highlight the fragile nature of political alliances, where negotiations behind defections and coalition-building can sometimes collide with party realities and competing interests.
While political parties often project unity publicly, internal contests over influence, candidate selection and leadership control frequently expose deeper divisions.
Nwoko also revisited the disputed outcome of the party primaries, insisting that he remained convinced of his electoral strength and possessed evidence supporting his claims.
He maintained that his camp secured victories across several wards and suggested that objections raised against the process were limited in scope.
“We won in 98 wards. All that Ifeanyi Okowa did was just to throw evidence of one ward where there was an issue,” he asserted.
His comments add another layer to the continuing debate over transparency and fairness in party primaries, which have long generated controversy across Nigeria’s political parties.
Analysts say disputes over primary elections often stem from competing interpretations of agreements reached before contests, as well as allegations of manipulation and shifting political loyalties.
For many observers, Nwoko’s account underscores a recurring challenge in Nigerian politics — the tension between political assurances made during negotiations and the eventual realities of party politics.
Whether the senator’s allegations will trigger further political fallout or remain part of the larger narrative of intra-party disagreements remains to be seen. But his remarks have once again drawn attention to the complex dynamics of defections, trust and power within Nigeria’s political system.
