A combined photo of Ifeanyi Okowa and Ned Nwoko
By Ovie Ediri
Nature resents dynasty driven by naked ambition and powered by narcissism. It frowns at the construction of political empire built around family circles. The interpretation is that what is meant to be a communal sharing is largely perceived to be cornered by family avarice. But not all dynasties are built on the vain glory of a family, we have seen the Gladstone in England of their contribution to the political development of Britain, the Plinys in Rome and in recent memory, the Kennedys among others.
So when rumours mill begins to spin a yarn that is fast becoming truth to the effect that Dr.Ifeanyi Okowa, the former Delta state governor is warming up for a mother of all contest with the mercurial Ned Nwoko for the soul of Delta North in 2027, it didn’t come as a surprise to many.
The medical doctor temptation to return to the Senate is an admission of a perception solely his that in the entire Delta North, there’s no one with better qualifications for good representation at the upper Chambers of the National Assembly with better credentials than him.
And to lend credence to this perspective, his daughter, Marylin Daramola-Okowa, will be simultaneously seeking election into the Delta State House of Assembly to represent Ika North East for the second term.
Poor Delta North!
While both father and daughter have absolute rights to seek election, as they are intellectually qualified, our worries may lie elsewhere, in the sphere of the ethics and morality, and in the propriety of we Delta Northerners accepting this self appointed mission of having the Okowas representing us again, given history and antecedents.
One writer writes of the Okowas’ ambitions. “While both of them may claim personal merit and qualification, this development raises serious concerns that, in my view, cannot be ignored.
“As a concerned citizen of Delta North, I find it troubling that one family is seeking to occupy two major legislative positions in the same political space at the same time. A Senate seat and a House of Assembly seat are both powerful platforms for influence, policymaking, and political control. When these positions are pursued by a father and daughter concurrently, it creates the impression of political concentration rather than inclusive governance.
“To me, this is not merely about individuals. It is about the message it sends to the public. It suggests that political power is gradually becoming centralized within a family, instead of being shared across capable citizens. Democracy becomes weakened when leadership begins to look like inheritance within a family.
“What makes this situation even more concerning is that we have seen similar scenarios in Delta State before, and we know the tensions they create. A clear example is what happened during the time of Joan Onyemeachi. She was a member of the State Executive Council, serving as a commissioner, while her brother, Pastor Jude Chukwuwinke, sought to contest for the chairmanship of Aniocha South Local Government Council.
“At that time, there was serious tension in the local government. Many people openly questioned the propriety of having a commissioner at the state level and a local government chairman from the same family and the same LGA at the same time. The public sentiment was clear: it did not reflect fairness, balance, or respect for democratic diversity. People argued that it was wrong for one family to dominate political leadership within a single local government area.
“Eventually, Joan Onyemeachi resigned from the State Executive Council. Her resignation was widely understood as an attempt to reduce political tension and restore public confidence. It was a recognition that, even if the arrangement was technically legal, it was politically unhealthy and socially divisive. It showed an understanding that leadership sometimes requires sacrifice for the sake of peace, unity, and public trust.
Let us look at the optics. Ned Nwoko, the current Senator representing the same district is one of loudest Senators in the Fourth Republic, and the audacity of his noise is all about bringing development to his state in general, and his constituency in particular. He has never been taken to task by any of the anti graft agencies, nor called into question regarding his political choices, meaning in terms of political correctness; he has largely managed to stay clean, impeccably above board.
Why would anyone think of replacing a winning team for a leap into chance and uncertainty?
Senator Nwoko has been recognized for a high volume of legislative output, sponsoring over 30 bills within his first two years in office. His legislative work focuses on economic reform, healthcare, infrastructure, and governance.
Ifeanyi Okowa, as the former Governor of Delta State (2015–2023) and a former Senator, has contributed less significantly to lawmaking in Nigeria, though he had assented to critical state legislation, promoting the rule of law, and advocating for constitutional reforms, but these are a quantum leap compared to Nwoko’s.
In just two years since assuming office as the Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District, Prince Ned Nwoko has drawn widespread attention for what many constituents and observers describe as a rare blend of legislative activism and development-focused representation.
A lawyer, philanthropist, and former member of the House of Representatives, Nwoko was sworn into the 10th National Assembly in June 2023. Since then, his performance has sparked praise from both political allies and opposition voices, many of whom compare his record favorably to predecessors who served the same office for longer durations with fewer visible results.
At the National Assembly, Senator Nwoko has emerged as one of the most vocal and active legislators. Within 24 months, he has sponsored 24 bills and moved at least 18 motions. These legislative efforts have touched on issues of diaspora voting rights, environmental protection, malaria eradication, constitutional reforms, and national security.
One of his most high-profile proposals is a bill that seeks to grant voting rights to Nigerians in the diaspora, a move that, if passed, would allow millions of citizens abroad to participate in national elections. The bill is seen as a push toward more inclusive governance and reflects Nwoko’s forward-thinking stance on global democratic norms.
In his role as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment, Nwoko has also played a key part in deliberations on Nigeria’s waste management systems and climate-related challenges. His focus has been on promoting environmental sustainability, drawing from his background as an advocate for malaria eradication and clean living environments.
” I can tell you in recent years among Delta Senators, none has exhibited such zeal and loyalty to development of Delta state as Ned Nwoko at the National Assembly”, noted Professor Ropo Atobami, a political scientist.
While some may disagree with this assertion, but may find it difficult to contradict this it at the plane of political morality and integrity. EFCC has never hounded him for siphoning constituency funds, and truth is found in big as in small things, because some may say he has never been governor to have enough access to money to be wooed by corruption.
A corrupt man will go home with the constituency funds and forget about his people.
We need a person of probity, integrity and unassailable reputation to represent Delta North. We should choose wisely.
Any aspirant that has been under the radar of the EFCC for corruption allegations may not be the right person for us.
Ijaw elder statesman, late Chief Edwin Clark had once submitted a petition against the Ex Governor Ifeanyi Okowa requesting the EFCC to investigate the over N600 billion diverted from the state’s treasury as well as alleged ownership of Premium Trust Bank. A group was once invited by the EFCC in Port Harcourt, to also adopt their water tight petition against him, wherein they alleged that he mismanaged N600 billion and diverted same.
Sometime in 2024 when Okowa was picked up for questioning by The EFCC, the anti graft agency’s spokesperson stated then that the former governor was being investigated and detained over the alleged diversion of N1.3 trillion.
The N1.3 trillion reportedly represents the 13% derivation fund from the federation account between 2015 and 2023.
The murky politics in Nigeria of course, has no ethics and morality, thus in spite of the allegations against the former governor who is now allegedly aspiring to run for the Senate seat come 2027, once he moved to the ruling All Progressives Congress, the trial and everything about his case with the EFCC suddenly went cold, lost steam and normalized.
But Delta needs people of probity to lead as Governor, Senator or State Assembly Member, thus it would be better we stick to the devil we know than switch allegiance to the unknown we can not vouch for. Nwoko has done well and should be supported to continue his good representation.
Ovie Ediri writes from Warri, Delta State
