Benjamin Mokwunye
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” –Eleanor Roosevelt
At a personal level, Iet me state that I was not surprised that Senator Ned Nwoko’s switch from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to the All-Progressives Congress, APC, made the politician a major talking point in the political community. Truth be told, Senator Nwoko is colourful, charismatic, generous and independent-minded. But he is also savvy, unpretentious and courageous. Perhaps all these may explain why he is always a subject of interest where ever he finds himself, both in politics and humanitarianism, his new love. However, it is gratifying to note that this senator that represents Delta North Senatorial District in the Red Chamber has come to terms with his reality. So, he does not lose losing sleep over what people think about him once he is convinced that he is on the right track.
I first met this ebullient and polemical politician briefly back in the day, precisely in my teenage years by chance.
Eventually, the senator left Nigeria shortly after that encounter for the United Kingdom where he bagged a degree in law, worked as a lawyer for many years before returning to Nigeria. However, Nwoko was on time to take part in this Republic that started with the election of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as president in 1999. But before that crucial 1999 election, my father, Alexander Iwuani Mokwunye, an astute politician from Onicha-Olona in Delta State, had joined forces with Nwoko to launch his move to the House of Representatives.
For clarity, I should like to state that it was Nwoko’s fatal political miscalculation in 1999 that brought him in contact with my father.
The story is that on arrival in Nigeria after a long sojourn in the United Kingdom, Nwoko, inadvertently, read the handwriting on Nigeria’s political scene wrongly. Instead of joining the PDP which was not only the largest party in Nigeria at the time but also the most favoured to win elections, especially in Southern Nigeria, the returnee lawyer and politician, chose the All Peoples Party, APP. APP, his first party, pre-1999, had no strong footing in the South-South and other parts of Southern Nigeria. On realizing his folly, he quickly beat a retreat even when it was already very late in the day. To be fair, it is only a man like Senator Nwoko who would pull a stunt like the one he did in 1999 in the heat of a crucial election and succeed without a collateral damage.
The story of how Nwoko took the ticket of the Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency in 1999 is not only unprecedented; it is also awe-inspiring in the annals of political contestation in Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency. I hasten to add that when he saw the huge obstacle between him and the House of Representatives seat in Abuja, he quickly went for the jugular. At the time, Barrister Zeloyi Enunwa, a gentleman who had distinguished himself in the bank and law practice, already had the ticket of the PDP as the party’s flag bearer. Overnight, the table turned in favour of Nwoko who deployed his ingenuity, negotiating ability and mobilizing power in a political contest that was over even before it began. As they say, the rest is history.
So, those who are averse to Senator Nwoko’s entry and membership of the APC should rethink their position and be more broad-minded in their thoughts and perspectives because time is running out. If the APC in Delta State hopes to make the necessary impact in the state come 2027, then it must open its doors wide open for everyone, regardless. The truth is that Nwoko is an old warhorse who knows his ways around people and institutions. And the senator’s recent deft political move is a testimony to his astuteness in politics. Understandably, this clever political decision has also led to a barrage of accusations. He has been accused of lying and misleading his supporters because he is now in trouble and fighting for his political life. I also read stories and commentaries where he was accused of using guerrilla tactics and subterfuge to survive the storm he created for himself. For me, it is neither here nor there. Nwoko, more than anyone else, knows what lies in wait for him. As a new entrant in the APC, he will contend with both old and new political foes, but it is very clear that he is waiting to get to the river before crossing it.
But the Idumuje-Ugboko born political tactician is on a familiar turf. If you know Nwoko’s political history and trajectory, then you will agree with me that he is not a man to be completely caught unawares. For emphasis, the distinguished senator left the PDP for obvious reasons. He discovered, and early too, that he had been caged on all fronts by Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, the immediate past governor of Delta State. Apart from placing his supporters at the grassroots and many strategic positions, Okowa also sidelined all Nwoko loyalists in what many consider a one-sided political appointment that left all the senator’s supporters in the lurch. So, he had no option than being in the APC even though there are no guarantees about his political outcomes at this time in his new party. More so, Nwoko is not under any illusion about what awaits him in APC. For starters, he will be squaring up with so many forces but the man is not turning back because for him, the die is cast.
As a politician, Nwoko knows how to pull the right strings, and the importance of this cannot be over emphasized, coupled with the current state of affairs in Delta State. Therefore, the senator will understandably, bring great value to the APC. Since APC is already in the bag in Delta State, now is the time for old members of the party to sheath their sword, so that rebuilding and the real politics ahead of 2027 will begin. There is no way the APC will make any meaningful impact in the next general elections with a divided house and infighting among members. With a retinue of governance issues currently plaguing Delta State, there could not have been a better time for the APC to take over, judging by the realities in the state today.
In actual fact, the senator is the only one who knows why he jumped ship. However, what I know is that Nwoko is the only one who knows why he chose APC at a time like this. Many people may consider his new party a shark-infested waters but he obviously knows his destination.
No doubt, Senator Ned Nwoko is a man of history. Those who challenge him on his passion for effective legislative representation and creation of Anioma State do not understand how far he has come on issues affecting Delta North and its politics. And part of this history-making is also connected to his patriotism as the lead consultant for the recovery of what has now come to be known as over-deductions from Paris and London Clubs debt buyback funds.
In the end, I hope this piece provides the much-needed insight into what it means to be on the side of the people.
*Mokwunye, a lawyer and public affairs analyst, lives in Lagos
