The senator representing Delta North in the National Assembly, Ned Nwoko, has dumped the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
It was gathered that the defection is all about 2027 politics and threats to his return ticket to the Senate.
Nwoko summoned notable PDP members and other stakeholders in the opposition parties across his constituency for a crucial consultative meeting to inform them of his plans to cross over to the running party as one of the conditions offered by the presidency to create Anioma State.
The consultative meeting which lasted hours was held at his country home in Idumuji-kpoko in Aniocha North of the state.
According to the convener and leader of Ugo-Anioma, Victor Sorokwu, who confirmed the development, Nwoko had called for the meeting to solicit their support to dump PDP which was unanimously agreed to by all and sundry who attended the meeting.
Sources said that Nwoko’s plans to leave the PDP for the APC may be linked to his 2027 governorship ambition in the State, but Sorokwu said it was for the Senator to actualise the creation of Anioma State.
The defection move by Ned when perfected, means all the three Delta State Senators in the National Assembly belong to the ruling APC, thereby depleting Delta State, as the stronghold of the PDP since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999.
The senator who represents Delta North in the National Assembly has not made an official announcement regarding his defection at the time of this report.
Nwoko, a vocal critic of the current governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, has been making moves to leave the party for a while now following his frosty relationship with PDP leaders in the state.
It was further learnt that another reason for the senator leaving the party is due to reported moves by the former governor of his state, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa, to return to the Senate in 2027 under the PDP platform.
When contacted for a response, the senator neither confirmed nor denied the defection, saying that his leaving the PDP is “not now.”