“I was promised an automatic ticket before joining the party”— Senator Ned Nwoko

Senator Ned Nwoko has accused party leaders of betraying an agreement reached before he deviated from his former political platform, claiming he was promised an automatic senatorial ticket before the election.

“I was promised an automatic ticket before joining the party”

The lawmaker made the disclosure while addressing supporters regarding the recent developments surrounding the party’s primary process.

According to Nwok, securing a direct ticket was the main factor that convinced him to leave his previous party and align himself with the new political platform.

He stated that he would not risk leaving the former structure and political allies without solid guarantees from influential party stakeholders.

A promise before defection

Explaining his grievances, the senator said the party leadership did not respect the agreement reached before his departure, forcing him into an unexpected election contest.

“I was clearly told before I joined the party that I would automatically get a ticket for the senatorial position. That was the main reason why I agreed to leave my former party,” he said.

“Why would I leave my previous platform without securing my position? The promise of an automatic ticket was what gave me the confidence to defect,” added Nwoko.

Dispute over party primaries

The senator described it as a betrayal of trust, insisting that the leadership failed to live up to its commitments 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 of. This is a clear case of betrayal by the party leadership after I believed their words,” he stated.

Political defections linked to disputes over party tickets and internal deals remain commonplace in the Nigerian political landscape, especially in the run-up to major elections.

Similar controversies have been seen in the run-up to the 2023 general election, when several politicians have accused party leaders of turning a blind eye to post-defection deals.

Check out the post below…

Within the APC there is another APC.

APC cheated Ned Nwoko, promised him an automatic ticket and gave the ticket to another person 😂 pic.twitter.com/IipD82qHNp

— Dr. Kenon (@drkenon2) May 26, 2026