Senator Ned Nwoko has accused party leaders of violating a pre‑defection agreement, saying he was guaranteed an automatic senatorial ticket before he left his former political group.
“I was promised automatic ticket before joining the party”
The legislator revealed the issue while speaking to supporters amid ongoing discussions about the party’s primary procedures.
According to Nwoko, the assurance of a direct ticket was the decisive factor that motivated him to abandon his previous party and align with the new platform.
He emphasized that he would not have risked leaving his former structure and allies without firm guarantees from key party stakeholders.
Promise before defection
Explaining his grievances, the senator said the party leadership failed to honour the understanding reached before his defection, which forced him into an unexpected primary contest.
“I was clearly told before I joined the party that I would be given an automatic ticket for the senatorial position. That was the main reason I agreed to move from my former party,” he said.
“Why would I abandon my previous platform without securing my position? The promise of an automatic ticket was what gave me the confidence to defect,” Nwoko added.
Dispute over party primary
The senator characterised the development as a breach of trust, insisting that the leadership did not uphold its commitment after he joined the party.
“But in the end, that promise was broken. I had to go through the primary process instead of receiving the automatic ticket I was assured. This is a clear case of betrayal by the party leadership after I trusted their words,” he stated.
Political defections tied to disputes over party tickets and internal arrangements remain a common feature of Nigeria’s political landscape, particularly ahead of major elections.
Similar controversies surfaced during the buildup to the 2023 general elections, when several politicians accused party leaders of reneging on agreements after their defections.
Within APC, there is another APC. APC deceived Ned Nwoko, promised him Automatic Ticket & gave the ticket to another person 😂
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