THE CASE OF NED NWOKO AND IFEANYI OKOWA: LET HISTORY SPEAK BEFORE AMBITION REWRITES IT –
A REJOINDER TO NED NWOKO MEDIA TEAM – SIXT-MEDIA LANE
THE CASE OF NED NWOKO AND IFEANYI OKOWA: LET HISTORY SPEAK BEFORE AMBITION REWRITES IT
A REJOINDER TO NED NWOKO MEDIA TEAM
By: STANLEY CHIEDU MBULU
Esq, FICRPC.
Convener, DELTA NORTH ARISE (DNA)
I read with total amusement, the above titled article as humourously and homongously fabricated, concocted and published in ‘The Nation’ Newspaper of 10th May, 2026, ‘Vanguard’ Newspaper of 13th May, 2026, and Daily Sun Newspaper of 14th May, 2026, respectively by a group that call themselves, Ned Nwoko Media Team, in their usual attempt to malign Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa.
The issues raised herein are directly aimed at impugning on the respectable reputation and proficient profile of the immediate past Governor of Delta State, who has been exceptional and excellent in politics.
Ordinarily, I would not have responded to this manner of publication, especially with the knowledge of the fact that it is coming from mercenaries that will be very desperate to do anything, even if it means to lie against someone to please their paymaster, so as to earn their wages.
However, to remain silent in the face of this mortgage of conscience, will be tantamount to being part of the conspiracy to fraternize with falsehood, twist the truth and liaise with lies.
In my capacity as an advocate of truth and fairness, I will not subscribe to the daylight projection of concocted fallacies and misleading reports that are capable of denigrating the hard earned reputation of the famous hero of Anioma land, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, who indeed has sacrificially and strategically given everything in service for the welfare of Delta North Senatorial District and still championing the course for their socio-political redemption.
In view of all these, I feel constrained to respond to the deliberate falsehoods and rebut the intentional misrepresentations as contained in this publication, after all, an Igbo proverb has it that;
“An elder does not sit at home and watch a tethered goat deliver”
Therefore, I will be doing a huge service to humanity by going to the drawing board to illustrate the scenarios in this specific destorted and disjointed article of Ned Nwoko Media Team by laying bare their lies on the round table of conscience, put the records straight and trash all their falsehoods in the bin, where they truly belong.
First and foremost, I want to reiterate once again that this publication as made by Ned Nwoko Media Team reeks of lies and smells of falsehood, even from a very far distance.
Every word that made up this article is spelt and pronounced with choking lies that left no breathing space in between the lines for the air of truth to saturate.
I wonder how the writer(s) were able to sleep after committing such degree of sacrilege in the name of politics.
Moreso, I know that it will be evidently tedious and apparently cumbersome to attempt to debunk and dismiss every lie and twist that is accomodated in virtually all the lines that made up the article, but I will handle them summarily before bundling the malicious and misleading piece of work into the flame of condemnation.
Begining with the assertion that there is an attempt to recast political history in Delta North, wherein they insinuated that Senator Ned Nwoko was “already seated at the table where decisions were being made”, while Senator Ifeanyi Okowa “was still seeking entry into the room” as at that time and going further to say that “you do not claim to have raised a man who has already become a father before you met him” is an initial revelation of the size of fallacy that inspired their article.
Perhaps, one should remind the writer(s) about the story of the grasshopper, whose inconsistency and unsteadiness made it unprepared for the rainy day while hopping up and down among the grasses
Like the saying goes;
“It is not how far, but how well”
The political journey of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has been a significant kind of steady ascension from the grassroots to the top of the echelon.
It is a story that any subscriber of virtue should be proud of and an inspiration for the future generation.
It is the story of a political career that began from the lowly position of the Secretary, Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State and today, that journey has become a flight that landed on the pinnacle of glory and honour, due to enduring focus, commitments, consistency, diligence and hardwork.
Therefore, a careful and steady ascension of the ladder is far more result oriented than jumping and hopping the steps of the ladder, blowing ‘hot’ today and blowing ‘cold’ tomorrow.
This reminds one of the famous computing and logic principle, which has it that the quality of output is determined by the quality of input.
“Garbage in – Garbage out”.
Okowa may have started from the bottom, but he is currently at the top and very proud of his political metamorphosis, that has not been equalled by any one in the whole of Delta North.
Let us also remember to arm ourselves with the fact that it is not where a person was yesterday that matters, but where he is currently.
The first to touch the ribbon at the finishing line wins the race and not who jumped on the track before the blast of the whistle.
In the second paragraph of Ned Nwoko Media Team’s publication, another ‘big lie’ as quoted from the first line has it that;
“Okowa’s eventual rise to become a two-term governor of Delta State did not happen in isolation, nor was it a product of personal political magic, it was on a foundation that many contributed to, but few sacrificed for as deeply as Senator Ned Nwoko did”.
As a matter of fact, it is agreed that certain individual elites were instrumental to the gubernatorial actualisation of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa in 2015, which he has always acknowledged, but at no time was Senator Ned Nwoko a member of the crew that formed that solidarity for Okowa’s governorship of Delta State.
He was even critical and antagonistic to the choice of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa as the preferred man for the job by the Anioma folks and this was evident in his personal declaration through an online publication made via TheEagleOnline, on 20th November, 2014, written by one Segun Adebowale, and boldly captioned “Ned Nwoko Canvases Support For Obuh’s Governorship Aspiration”.
A story that openly revealed Mr Anthony Obuh as Prince Ned Nwoko’s preference over Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, in which he confidently threw his weight behind the governorship ambition of Obuh, at the expense of Okowa.
Today, Ned Nwoko Media Team are changing the colours of that scenario and telling blatant lies to our faces.
Truth is like the essential oil that is needed for the preservation of history and it must be applied at all times, no matter whose ox is gored.
Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa’s ascension to the governorship position of Delta State in 2015, is widely regarded as a watershed moment in the state’s political history, marked by “gallantry” in navigating complex ethnic dynamics, internal party resistance, and high-wire politics to become the first Delta North (Anioma) son to govern the state since its creation in 1991.
His victory was seen as a validation of Anioma’s place within the “Big Heart” state, breaking a political cycle that had previously favoured other regions.
The 2015 governorship race as described by observers, was characterized by intense political maneuvering and potential betrayals. Okowa utilized his deep grassroots connections, experience and strategy, as a former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), and Senator of the Federal Republic, to navigate the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) primaries.
It is on record that Okowa overcame over 15 other aspirants, many of whom were heavily backed to win the PDP ticket, polling 406 votes.
He went on to defeat his closest rival, Great Ogboru, by a wide margin in the 2015 election (724,680 votes to 130,028).
His election brought a sense of oneness and belonging, allowing Delta North to produce a governor for the first time, despite the revelation of certain failed conspiracies involving some Anioma ‘Judases’.
For the purpose of clarity, in terms of individual and collective efforts, the vanguard for an Anioma governor was notably propelled by ‘Anioma Congress’ under the leadership of the late Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Chike Edozien and a Delta North sociocultural group, known as ‘Izu Anioma’, who were unanimously of the view that Delta North should have the governorship seat after an age long political marginalization in the state.
Before his 2015 election, Okowa was recognized as having the most valid political experience among other contenders, having served as a Local Government Chairman, Commissioner, SSG, and Senator.
He has an unprecedented and unpredictable deep connections with the electorate, his ability to build consensus across various ethnic nationalities in Delta State was seen as a key factor.
History does not lie and the record of that historic political adventure can still be dusted or downloaded from the archives for further or future publication, when the need arises.
The assertion that Senator Ned Nwoko was instrumental to the emergence of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa as the first Anioma governor of Delta State in 2015, is an illusion from the institution of mischief making because naturally and ordinarily, water does not flow upwards. Senator Ned Nwoko was never part of the structure for the governorship ambition of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa.
The statements as quoted from the article of Ned Nwoko Media Team that;
“Okowa went on to win the governorship election and Anioma finally produced a governor” and also that “The outcome did not come cheap, it was paid for with tough sacrifice and commitment” and again “To now see that same political journey being rewritten is not just unfortunate, it is a betrayal of memory itself. Truly, memory is the first casualty of ambition” shows that the great tree of sincerety was brought down by these people, before putting up this fallacious page.
It is a cock and bull story, that have never been told in any book, including those that are yet to be written.
A gallant soldier like Okowa knows his comrades and he is ever grateful to those that were instrumental to his career, especially on the journey to becoming the governor of Delta State, knowing fully well that a tree can not make a forest.
Another lie from the pit of hell as terribly packaged and pathetically told in the article by Ned Nwoko Media Team, is the episode of the 2019 elections.
Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, played a pivotal role in the 2019 general election for Delta North, acting as the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the state and driving his own re-election campaign to secure an all important second term as governor.
His influence helped ensure a dominant victory for the PDP in Delta North Senatorial District.
As the leader of the party, he had no preferred candidate among the aspirants for other positions at that particular time and as a democrat, he made up his mind to respect the choice of the party, especially with regard to those that became the party’s flag bearers in the 2019 general election.
So, for Ned Nwoko Media Team to state in their article that ” it was common knowledge within Delta political circle that Okowa was not supporting Senator Ned Nwoko’s senatorial ambition” is the most childish statement anyone can make and it is disappointing, as far as the entire episode of 2019 general election is concerned.
Senator Okowa is a party man who fanatically believes in the decision of the party and was not expected to preempt the party in the choice they make.
If the insinuation that ‘he does not want to support Senator Ned Nwoko’ is true, how come he gave him (Ned) everything that was needed to succeed in 2023, after emerging as the party’s primary election winner?
Once again, this exposes the deadly desperation of Ned Nwoko Media Team to mislead and misinform the public.
In the same article, they also made reference to the 2019 election and alleged that;
“The primaries were anything but fair and the path ahead of Ned was deliberately made difficult.”
All these lies were heaped in one sentence because Ned Nwoko lost the PDP primary election of that year.
Perhaps, the primary election later became fair and smooth in 2023, simply because he won that context.
.
The voice of a hypocrite is always stuttering in the face of truth.
I don’t want to go into other series of lies as stated in the article regarding the 2019 political episode.
Wether Senator Ned Nwoko was offered a juicy alternative by the APC led federal government as at then, which he purportedly turned down according to his paid media agents, is his own cup of tea, but I wonder which little child will believe such tales because the moonlight has refused to show up due to the cloudy nature of the lies therein.
Apparently, Ned Nwoko Media Team in their publication, clearly avoided to inform the public that back then, their principal took the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Senator Peter Nwaoboshi of blessed memory to court as a result of the fallout of his disagreement with the decision of the 2019 PDP’s primary election for Delta North Senatorial District.
The matter as filed in the Federal High Court Abuja, was referred to and mentioned as;
Ned Nwoko vs Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) & Peter Nwaoboshi.
Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/11/2019.
But while referring to the PDP primary election for Delta North Senatorial District in 2019, Ned Nwoko Media Team glaringly told another compound lie in which they stated in their article that;
“Even when the primaries produced an outcome many regarded as unjust, Ned refused to burn down the house because of a leaking roof, he collapsed his campaign structure and directed his Director General, Leonard Ogugua Esegbue, to return to the drawing board and design a strategy for supporting Okowa’s re-election. From that moment of sacrifice, Operation Return Okowa (ORO) was born. What followed was a full-scale well funded political operation. Senator Ned Nwoko funded the movement with over a billion naira, disbursed in tranches of hundreds of millions, a fact that Leonard Esegbue himself can attest to. He funded virtually all the support groups, coordinated grassroots mobilization and sponsored the movement of market women across the nine local government areas of Delta North, ensuring they followed the PDP campaign train across all twenty-five local government areas of the state”.
After reading this concoctions and fabrications, one will conclude that these people are undoubtedly of the believe that the reading public are gullible to ascertain and blind to identify the chains of lies dangling beside them.
How would they say that Senator Ned Nwoko decided against burning the house, when then, he dissatisfactorily and disaffectionately took his own political party to court because of the outcome of the primary election?
While he was bittered with the party and busy with them as opponents in the court, how then was he able to overcome his emotions and grandiosely mobilize the electioneering campaign activities of the same PDP back then in 2019 as claimed by his media team?
Moreso, with the presumption that Okowa was against him back then and was instrumental to his electoral woes according to the stories of the article written by Ned Nwoko Media Team, how did his anger became whittled down suddenly and his generosity towards Okowa and his re-election rekindled?
What manner of political mood swing was that?
Let the ‘story tellers’ provide the answer.
In propaganda, truth is sometimes blended with falsehood and the essence of this joint venture is to create confusion in the mind of the public, especially those that are not familiar with the circumstances of the whole event.
To further contradict the impression created by Ned Nwoko Media Team, their principal never assisted Senator Ifeanyi Okowa in anyway during his quest to serve the nation as Vice President on the platform of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023. Rather, it was the other way round, because it is impossible for the guest to show the host round the house.
With regard to the 2023 elections in Delta State, Okowa who was then the governor of the state played a significant and tough role in assisting Senator Ned Nwoko to secure the Delta North Senatorial seat under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Okowa’s support involved and evolved several strategic moves, which included the provision of the necessary backing to ensure Ned Nwoko emerged as the candidate, via effectively navigating the party’s machinery to acknowledge his aspiration.
It is also on record that as the then Governor of Delta State, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, during the PDP campaign rallies in Delta North and specifically in Ukwuani, sometime in January 2023, openly endorsed Ned Nwoko and asked the people to give him a chance. A gesture, which Senator Okowa now regrets and refers to as a ‘mistake’ in hindsight, considering the unfolding of recent political events.
Okowa’s support for the pursuit of Ned Nwoko’s senatorial ambition was significantly instrumental in the campaign, considering his political weight then as the incumbent governor, as well as his enormous financial assistance to him at that particular moment.
Okowa was a powerful foundational and influential member of the PDP and this fact was fully acknowledged from the grass-root to the federal level.
Therefore, it is ridiculous to also read from the article published by Ned Nwoko Media Team that;
“When Okowa pursued the vice presidential slot, it was Senator Ned Nwoko who opened doors that would have otherwise remained closed. He took him to the corridors of Abuja powers, introduced him to key figures within Atiku Abubakar’s camp.”
How could this have been possible, when Okowa was then a very powerful, highly connected and extremely influential sitting governor, that was seriously involved in the key decisions that affects the country because, the president of the nation and the governors of the 36 states of the federation, work in tandem.
They run the affairs of the country together, even as co-members of the Council of State in Nigeria.
As a matter of fact, what position was Ned Nwoko occupying in the country back then, prior to 2023 elections to put him in the position to show a political enigma like Okowa the way to Abuja. This is a calculated and culminated blasphemy, as far as history is concerned.
Furthermore, the assertions and stories about Ned Nwoko not seeking personal favours under the watch of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa as the executive governor of Delta State, vis-a-vis the claims regarding his attempts to implement some policies of welfare and embark on certain projects of development which according to the article of his Media Team were either frustrated or stalled, are all fallacious assertions and they remain so till the end of time.
The aim of these scripted version of lies is to practically blame Senator Ifeanyi Okowa for the poor legislative stewardship of their principal, which is the reason behind the unanimous call by the good people of Delta North Senatorial District for Okowa to step into the senatorial shoe and make judicious use of it, beginning with the prioritisation of Okpai Power Plant project.
A fact which Okowa himself, recently confirmed.
Similarly, the allegation according to the same article that;
“Okowa’s influence over Delta North council chairmen has created an environment where independent decision-making is sacrificed at the altar of allegiance” is rather unfortunate.
This is like the story of the polluted water who likes to drag, carry and sweep other things with it while flowing away from recognition and utilisation.
The truth is that Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa remains a seasoned “grassroot leader” who has maintained a wide network of loyal political associates, including ward-level operatives, stakeholders, and local government representatives across Delta State, with a very strong ability to connect with everyone that matters politically and working closely with them, during and even after his tenure as a governor.
As a matter of fact, Okowa is widely acknowledged and politically celebrated for emphasizing the importance of local government councils in bringing governance to the grassroots, but to allege that this strongly maintained status quo, is the bane of decision making in government at the local level is obviously the handwork of envy and frustration.
To further embark in mentioning the name of the Chairman of Aniocha North Local Government Council, Hon. Emma Chinye in the published falsehood and indicting him over some frivolous and baseless claims demonstrates the level of recklessness as exhibited in the article by this media team.
Although there are so many other inaccuracies and inadequacies in this testimony of Ned Nwoko Media Team, but the points have been made and established.
It is usually imperative and very important to focus on the meat of the matter and get off the table at the nick of time.
It is very laughable to also learn from the published article that;
” Senator Ned Nwoko never declared war on Okowa. He did not initiate conflict nor did he engage in political hostility. The strain in that relationship did not come from him, instead what unfolded was a steady deliberate effort to undermine his position as a Senator, an effort that involved both Okowa and Governor Sheriff”
Sometimes, statements of this nature usually make someone to begin to imagine a situation where the sizes of lies are measured like clothing materials, because the scenario in this article would have projected a measurement of a million yarded ‘Agbada’ that even the streets of Delta State will not be able to contain it.
As it stands today, multiple media mercenaries are being sponsored to continually project some ‘ballistic’ publications against Okowa and all these activities are aimed at misinforming the public and maligning the immediate past Governor of Delta State.
An igbo proverb has it that “a handshake that goes beyond the elbow is something else”.
The deployment of vituperative speeches and malicious publications before and during campaigns to a level that is tantamount to defamation against Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, is nothing but an undeniable declaration of war against him.
But as usual, Okowa has remained and will remain unruffled, unperturbed and undeterred, even in the face of the detonations of land mines under his feet.
His greatest weapon is silence and he is not ready to change this modus operandum.
Ika people has a saying that;
“Someone does not attain adulthood and begin learning afresh on how to make use of the left hand”.
Perhaps the article, being the subject matter of this rejoinder, as written and published by Ned Nwoko Media Team shouldn’t have been made in the first place because it represents a collosal failure in an attempt to dig up sentiments and pull up emotions over a feeling of political weakness and forecasted despair in 2027.
The write up looks more like an epistle of lies and lamentations, with a tone that appears to be like that of a weeping child whose most cherished toy is about to be taken from him by a stronger person.
If this is not the case, then there was absolutely no need for this multiple lines of emotional display with a false pen.
Anyone seeking and scheming for Senator Ifeanyi Okowa to leave the political stage for now is an enemy to the good people of Delta North Senatorial District.
Telling a builder to leave the construction site, when the building is yet to be completed reveals the anti-progressive mindedness of the adviser.
Moreso, any one suggesting that;
“Okowa should take a cue from Asiwaju Bola Ahmed who having served as a Senator and Governor, chose the path of builders, supporting men and women to become senators, ministers, ambassadors and even vice president.”, as stated in Ned Nwoko Media Team’s publication in multiple newspaper publications, is not in term with the political scenario in Delta North Senatorial District in particular and Delta State as a whole.
Senator Okowa like President Bola Tinubu, has been building and establishing men and women of special political classes who have attained enviable heights and soaring diligently in the sky of leadership.
Their lists are endless and their names are currently ringing bell in the political landscape of Delta State.
But the truth remains that not every individual that a person comes across, is worth assisting, helping or mentoring.
This reality is corroborated by the real and untold story behind the bone of contention, as far as Delta North senatorial ambition and the election for 2027 is concerned
May we not hold the ladder for another to climb and on getting to the top, he begins to question our relevance.
Finally, on behalf of Delta North Arise (DNA) and the good people of Delta North Senatorial District, I strongly condemn in totality the publication of this undiluted falsehood as well as the mudslinging and blackmailing intentions behind it;
Therefore, I call on Ned Nwoko Media Team to urgently retract this false and misleading publication via all the platforms that have been utilized in carrying out same and publicly tender an unreserved apology to Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa using the same platforms.
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