The political camp of Senator Ned Nwoko has called on former Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, to withdraw from the 2027 senatorial race for Delta North, urging him to demonstrate what it described as true statesmanship.
In a lengthy statement issued by Nwoko’s media team, the group argued that Okowa should step aside and allow the incumbent senator continue in office, drawing parallels with President Bola Tinubu’s political trajectory, which they described as a model of leadership that empowers others.
The statement claimed that enduring leadership is defined by “the discipline to elevate others and strengthen the system beyond oneself,” while insisting that historical accounts of Delta North politics were being misrepresented for political advantage.
It further alleged that Senator Nwoko played a significant role in the emergence and consolidation of Okowa’s political rise, including his governorship victory and subsequent political structure in the state.
According to the group, Nwoko supported political mobilisation efforts, financed campaign structures, and facilitated key engagements that contributed to PDP successes in Delta State over the years.
The statement also referenced tensions in the political relationship between both men, particularly around party alignment and electoral contests, arguing that recent developments have strained what was once described as a strategic partnership.
While acknowledging Okowa’s contributions as a former governor and PDP vice-presidential candidate in 2023, the media team maintained that political maturity requires leaders to “make space for others” rather than pursue repeated returns to legislative office.
The statement concluded by urging the former governor to reconsider his 2027 ambition in the interest of political stability and generational transition in Delta North politics.
It added that leadership, in its view, is best measured not by prolonged occupancy of power, but by the ability to “build beyond oneself and step aside when necessary.”