BY NOSIKE OGBUENYI
Chinedu Munir Nwoko, popularly known as Ned Nwoko, faces a dicey test entering the New Year as he took the decisive plunge to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC). The PDP which is the ruling party in Delta State is the main opposition party at the centre.
The undercurrents that culminated in Senator Nwoko’s recent decision to quit the PDP have been smoldering for long shortly after the swearing in of Sheriff Oborevwori as the governor of the state in 2023. Now with his latest action, the fate of PDP in Delta State hangs precariously on a cliff hanger.
The PDP in the state has been clinging on the crevices of the disparate quartet of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, the immediate past governor, Ifeanyi Okowa who is also godfather to Mr Oborevwori, Senator Nwoko the influential Delta North senator and the pioneer governor of the State under the present democratic dispensation, James Ibori. The chess game about the future of PDP in the state has been going on in the courtyards of the foursome. Today, the governor can only be sure of his godfather, Mr Okowa’s support.
Mr Ibori was the first to be marginalised after his preferred candidate, Mr David Edevbie was literarily shoved aside by then incumbent Governor Okowa to pave way for anointed candidate, Mr Oborevwori’s emergence in the PDP primaries late in 2022. Since then, the first democratically elected governor in this dispensation, between 1999 and 2007, has been left in the cold by Messrs Oborevwori and Okowa.
Many people are leaving PDP and joining the APC including current elected, appointed and other political office holders too. More significantly, within the Delta North district a large number of people are gravitating towards the APC believing strongly that Anioma State creation can be realized under APC. There are other reasons behind the gale of defections rocking the PDP in the state.
Late last year, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, the daughter of the former governor, who is representing Ethiope East/Ethiope West Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives dumped PDP and joined APC citing marginalisation as her main reason for quitting.
Barely two months after Ibori’s daughter quit the PDP, Senator Nwoko has also announced his intention to leave the party and join the APC. And he is doing so in a blaze of honour and dignity. He is as clean as whistle with no case of corruption to defend. As a self-made multi-billionaire, Senator Nwoko is among the few crop of public officers in the state who have never depended on government contracts and patronage for economic survival.
Born into the royal family of Idumuje-Ugboko kingdom in Aniocha-North local government area of Delta State, Ned Nwoko, right from childhood, was brought up under strict traditional guidance, ethos and discipline. His journey began in the rusty streets of his ancient hometown, Idumuje-Ugboko where he learned the values of hard work, humility, respect and perseverance. Propelled and guided by sublime vision of prosperous future through hard work and a steadfast commitment to his goals, he rose meteorically through the thick and thins of adolescence and youth to exhibit early signs of success and leadership. Having deciphered the early signs of wisdom, courage and adventure in teenage boy, his family wasted no time in sponsoring him abroad to the United Kingdom in pursuit of golden fleece and the honing of his blooming sartorial attributes.
In the UK, the young Nwoko grabbed the opportunity for pursuit of academic excellence with both hands. After earning his first degree in Law and History at the University of Keele, UK, he proceeded to Kings College, University of London where he obtained his Masters degree in Law. He was called to the English Bar as a member of the famous Lincolns Inn where the world famous jurist, Lord Denin was. He subsequently requalified as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales. A position he still holds till today. There are less than 500 Africans holding this position globally.
Senator Nwoko began his legal practice in the UK where he flourished as an international attorney. At the peak of his legal practice, as solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales, he had one of the biggest law firms owned by a black man in the UK. Returning to Nigeria, he leveraged his education and variegated experience to build a successful empire that spans various sectors, including real estate, telecommunications, tourism, education, sports, entertainment and agriculture. His efforts have not only enriched his life but also contributed significantly to the advancement of economic landscape of Nigeria.
As a senator, Nwoko has been a voice for the youth, advocating for policies that foster innovation, education, and entrepreneurship. His philanthropic initiatives focus mainly on empowering the next generation, ensuring they have the tools necessary to navigate an ever-changing world. He can be aptly described as a global citizen and an amazing pro-people leader.
Before his foray into active politics in Nigeria way back in 1998, he had already established an enviable reputation as a successful international lawyer and businessman. Senator Nwoko had a successful tenure as an honorable member of the House of Representatives between 1999 and 2003. Twenty years after, he returned to National Assembly as the Senator representing Delta North district, otherwise known as Anioma in 2023.
Senator Nwoko’s independent and uncompromised background places him on moral high grounds to stand straight and speak for the people no matter whose ox is gored. But the non-profitable pro-people lane he is treading is a narrow and hazardous path in a clime like Delta State where speaking truth to power is often deemed as disloyalty to the ruling party and the established system. To the loyalists of the system and their gadflies, he stands condemned for not only breaking loose from the established system but also disrupting the status quo brazenly.
But Senator Nwoko seems unfazed by the risks of being on the lonely side. Doing what he perceives as the right thing for his people is his ultimate satisfaction, irrespective of the sacrifices and losses that might go with it. His position aligns with an injunction in the Holy Book which says, “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and there are many going through it.” This is a popular quote in chapter seven, verses 13 and 14 of the Biblical book of Matthew.
Judging by his antecedents, Senator Nwoko would literarily use his bare head to break the coconut for his people of Anioma underscoring why he is fighting for the improvement of their wellbeing. His recent open call on Delta State government to intervene and ameliorate the suffering of his people through provision of essential amenities and infrastructures has put him on collision course with the state governor and his godfather along with their coterie of supporters, praise singers and associates.
But Senator Nwoko apparently feels happier and at peace traversing the narrow gate and connecting with the people irrespective of social status. His humanness, simplicity, empathy and open door orientation makes him to blend with the high and the low. Though highly rated as one of the most influential and active lawmakers in the present 10th National Assembly, his exalted position has not made him to disconnect with the people. His simple lifestyle and insistence on justice and care for the common man are among the factors that set him apart from the typical upper elite politicians and public officers who follow the broad way that prioritises self interest and aggrandizement.
He says he cannot afford to stand akimbo looking the other way while majority of the people wallow in deprivation unleashed by bad governance and systemic corruption. He is immersed in the urgency of now with his binoculars focused on what could be done to better the lives of the people, starting with his Anioma constituents, Delta State and Nigeria at large.
It is record that Senator Nwoko has consistently delivered for his constituents through diverse ways such as scholarship programmes for students across Delta State; road construction and rehabilitation; installation of solar street lights and boreholes; establishment of Africa’s first Sports University in Idumuje-Ugboko in Aniocha North LGA; securing of federal job placements for Delta North indigenes; promoting of tourism, sponsorship of free medical outreach, surgeries and equipping primary healthcare centres, empowerment of youths, women and vulnerable members of society among others.
Senator Nwoko’s affinity with the people made him to bypass the choice locations of Abuja, Lagos, Benin or Enugu to site the pioneer Sports University, which he founded in Idumuje-Ugbo, a small ancient town in Delta State. He rebuffed all entreaties by friends and consultants against building the multi-billion naira institution in a developed city stressing that he was motivated by the need to bring development to his place of birth rather than quick profit and ego.
Such rare gestures and traits define the iconic lawmaker’s love for his root which defies the allures and high investment returns of urban centres. They also capture his innate qualities of courage of conviction, transcendental influence and popularity. It is quite evident that milk of human kindness flows naturally in his veins.
There are other impactful strides of the towering Senator which place him head and shoulders above his peers as a great leader and achiever. These include the championing of malaria eradication campaign in Africa that shifted emphasis from curative to preventive and eradication approach, securing the Paris Club multi-billion dollars refund as well as support for the needy through poverty alleviation projects and empowerment of youths, women and vulnerable members of society.
Even after leaving the National Assembly in 2003, he remained handy. His dedication to public service has earned him countless accolades and awards. As a senator, he is representing his people with aplomb and distinction, championing the cause of his constituents and working assiduously to promote their welfare. His leadership has been characterised by empathy, wisdom, and a deep understanding of the needs of his people. The contributions to society by him are a testament to his remarkable character as he has always been there for all irrespective of gender, race, creed, social status or political affiliations.
Senator Nwoko has been a dependable pillar for the youths, advocating and championing policies that foster innovation, education, and entrepreneurship. His philanthropic initiatives focus on empowering the next generation, ensuring they have the necessary tools to navigate an ever-changing world.
His undiluted commitment to good governance is the driving force behind his strident advocacy of Delta North’s development and fair deal from the state government. Yet this disposition is what often puts him on collision course with many gladiators in the state who are driven by contrary considerations.
Beyond the confines of Anioma, for long, Senator Nwoko has carved a niche for himself as a leader who consistently demonstrates his commitment to serving others, regardless of status. All through his illustrious career, he has shown a remarkable ability to connect with people from diverse backgrounds. His exceptional leadership qualities and capacity have been evident at all time, whether on or off the political stage.
An attempt was made to coerce him to eat the humble pie when he was suddenly called upon to move a motion for a vote of confidence on the state governor, Mr Oborevwori during a PDP stakeholders meeting. This is the same administration he has accused of underperforming as far infrastructures provision in Delta North is concerned. Senator Nwoko declined to move the motion attracting the ire of the governor who was present at the meeting.
Senator Nwoko is not an anyhow politician, the type that keeps mute in the face of injustice. He does not play boardroom politics to the detriment of his constituents, especially where the developmental needs of his people are at stake. He is not disposed to being a follower of a system that denies the people needed infrastructure and real poverty alleviation projects. This may well be the reason why Ned is genuinely loved by the people.
Again, Senator Nwoko cannot be tamed by the ‘system’ to turn his back on his people and ignore the pains, hardships, and slavery conditions his constituents are subjected to over the years, by successive governments of the party they have supported so long. He would not turn a blind eye to the dehumanizing condition of his people on the altar of party politics. For him, the state has had enough of the dynasty that had deprived it of true dividends of democracy and the APC comes handy as the vehicle to effect the long overdue change in Delta North and the state.
· Nosike Ogbuenyi, an indigene of Abala-Uno, Ndokwa East LGA, Delta State, lives in Abuja.
