In advance of the 2027 general elections, former Delta governor Ifeanyi Okowa won the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial ticket for Delta North on Monday. During the party's primary poll, which was held throughout the district's nine local government areas, Mr. Okowa defeated Maryam Ali and incumbent senator Ned Nwoko. After receiving 113,309 votes, Mr. Okowa was proclaimed the winner by APC Returning Officer Johnbull Tonukari.
Professor Tonukari reported that in the primary election held throughout the senatorial district, Mr. Nwoko received 2,612 votes and Ms. Ali received 40. He added that three candidates ran for the ticket: Ms. Ali; Messrs. Okowa and Nwoko; and delegates from each of Delta North's nine councils. He claims that Mr. Okowa controlled the race from the beginning and kept sizable leads in almost every local government area that was announced.
In Ika South, he claimed, the former governor likewise won handily with 9,763 votes to Mr. Nwoko's 19, while Ms. Ali received no votes at all. Mr. Tonukari continued, "After receiving 13,110 votes during the exercise, Mr. Okowa maintained his lead in Oshimili North Local Government Area."
In Oshimili North, he claimed, Mr. Nwoko received 287 votes, while Ms. Ali once more was unable to secure any votes in the council area. According to Mr. Tonukari, during the primary election, Mr. Okowa also defeated Mr. Nwoko in the local government area of the incumbent senator. He said that Mr. Okowa received 5,480 votes in the council, whereas Mr. Nwoko received 1,343 votes—a significant upset, according to party members.
The returning officer added that Mr. Okowa expanded his power in the local government districts of Oshimili South and Aniocha South. He claims that during the primary election, Mr. Okowa received 10,353 votes in Aniocha South and 11,616 votes in Oshimili South. He claimed that while Ms. Ali did not have much of an influence, Mr. Nwoko received 168 votes in Aniocha South and 74 votes in Oshimili South.
Additionally, he declared that Mr. Okowa defeated Mr. Nwoko, who received 513 votes in the council, with 15,199 votes in Ndokwa West. According to Mr. Tonukari, Ms. Ali was unable to get any votes in Ndokwa West during the Senate primary poll.
Following the declaration, Mr. Okowa was legally proclaimed the primary election winner by Eugene Odo, the leader of the APC National Working Committee in Delta.
According to Mr. Odo, the exercise was credible, transparent, and peaceful, and party members behaved appropriately at all times. According to some party members who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria, the district-wide primary was peaceful and orderly. They praised security guards and party officials for making sure the practice was well-coordinated throughout the many local government districts.