Senator Ned Nwoko has accused party leaders of betraying an agreement reached before he defected from his former political platform, claiming he was promised an automatic senatorial ticket ahead of the elections.
“I was promised automatic ticket before joining the party”
The lawmaker made the disclosure while addressing supporters over recent developments surrounding the party’s primary process.
According to Nwoko, the assurance of a direct ticket was the major factor that convinced him to leave his previous party and align with the new political platform.
He stated that he would not have risked abandoning his former structure and political allies without receiving firm guarantees from influential party stakeholders.
Promise before defection
Explaining his grievances, the senator said the party leadership failed to honour the understanding reached before his defection, forcing 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 described the development as a betrayal of trust, insisting that the leadership failed to stand by 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 getting 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 linked to disputes over party tickets and internal arrangements have remained common in Nigeria’s political landscape, especially ahead of major elections.
Similar controversies were recorded during the buildup to the 2023 general elections, when several politicians accused party leaders of reneging on agreements after defections.
Check the post below…
Within APC, there is another APC.
APC deceived Ned Nwoko, promised him Automatic Ticket & gave the ticket to another person 😂 pic.twitter.com/IipD82qHNp
— Dr. Kenon (@drkenon2) May 26, 2026
