By Fred Odu
The 2023 general elections in Nigeria may have come and gone but the echoes are still reverbrating 20 months even after swearing in of winners and governance has taken root across the nation.
In Delta state, the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) will not forget in a hurry the hot battle it fought how it lost two senatorial districts and narrowly won the third.
Ede Dafinone of the All Progressives Congress (APC) won in Delta Central, while Joel Onowakpor-Thomas, also of the APC, won in Delta South.
In Delta North, Barrister Kennedy Kanma of the Labour Party (LP) gave Prince Ned Nwoko of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) a good fight, having lost the election with a slim margin of 6,393 votes after polling 86,121 votes as against Senator Nwoko’s 92,514 votes.
Acknowledging the toughness of the election, Senator Nwoko thanked the people of Delta North for giving him victory, noting that it was heart-warming to have emerged the winner of the election.
In a thank you message, he said: “I feel honoured to enjoy this privilege of being your Senator-elect. It is indeed the will of God and your unfettered and implicit confidence in me that gave me victory.
“I honestly thank our men, women and youths who trooped out in impressive number to vote for me. By your patriotic actions, you have all deepened democracy and guaranteed a better future for us all. Thank you for your support”. Thereafter, he promised to stand for whatever concerns Delta North and vowed never to spare any effort to attract development to Anioma land.
He assured the people that whatever is due to the senatorial district, he will fight for it and ensure it gets to them. He gave a firm assurance and he promised to stand by it.
Since his inauguration in June 2023, Senator Nwoko has remained steadfast in walking the talk to further give expression to his profound gratitude to the people of Delta North for their confidence in him and for their belief in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
So far, there has been no legislative action, including sponsorship of bills and motions, as well as oversight functions of the Senator that were not in the interest of the people of Delta North, the PDP and by extension Delta State as a whole.
Suffice it, therefore, to say that Senator Ned Nwoko, as the only man standing for Delta PDP in the Senate, needs all the support he can get to keep the flag of his party flying, deliver on his mandate and restore the confidence of Deltans in the PDP.
Therefore, he needed the support of all and sundry so as to bring his dreams to fruition. He has a big dream for the senatorial district which he has started unveiling. Like the words of Seun Okinbaloye of Channels Television, Senator Ned Nwoko, within the short time he has been in the senate, has sponsored bills more than any other senator in the hallowed chamber.
Okinbaloye is a man who has never given thumb up to any interviewee. But for him to have done that to Senator Nwoko, one can tell the quantum of success Nwoko has achieved at the Senate.
Though he is a first timer in the Senate, he is seen as a ranking Senator. This is considering the positions he holds and committees he is appointed to be part of. His experience may not be unconnected with the fact that he was a member of the House of Representatives between 1999 and 2003.
Considering the bills and motions he has moved, one will know that Senator Ned Nwoko is ever ready to move Delta North, Delta state and the Nigeria nation to a greater height. If Nigeria has a number of senators like him in the national assembly, most of the challenges we are having in Nigeria would have gone into extinction.
Delta North should therefore see Senator Nwoko as a man needed at the moment for the salvation of the region. He covets all the support from his constituents in the nine local government areas to bring his vision to reality.
Delta PDP does not need a prophet to remind her of the huge task ahead of the 2027 general election and the need to firmly hold on to Delta North with Senator Ned Nwoko, while working hard to reclaim Delta South and win Delta Central.
Fred Odu
Publisher/Editor
Gallant Reporters
