Having closely monitored the Senatorial Race in Delta North Senatorial, the Management of the National Waves has endorsed Prince Ned Munir Nwoko as our preferred candidate for Delta North Senatorial District, we have arrived at this decision after a thorough analysis, investigations, interviews with the electorate in the Senatorial- the endorsement is hinged on a plethora of evidence, all pointing to the antecedents and track records of Nwoko in contrast to other candidates.
Last Saturday, the management team, comprising the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Jimmy Enyeh, Editor, (North) Mr. Timothy Elerewe and Editor (South) Mr. Adebayo Obajemu endorsed Prince Ned Nwoko at his Idumuje Ugboko sprawling mansion in Aniocha North Loocal Government Area of Delta State.
Nwoko has come strong not only as a defender and champion of Anioma people, Delta North in particular but his records when he was in the House of Representatives showcased the nationalist streak in him as the series of Bills he sponsored, and his Patriotic service to Nigeria have put him ahead of others.
It’s only in the best tradition that the cap should go to the fittest.
The English philosopher and essayist, Thomas Carlyle once said ” A man who has identified with his people when he had no power, fought their battle and championed their cause should be considered first in the distribution of power, for in giving him a mandate, he will do more. Don’t trust a man who has never stood by you.”
Carlyle seems to be referring to the temper and tempo of feelings of the Delta North Senatorial, where going by this medium of interviews and series of interactions with the people, Nwoko is the man to beat.
The charming Prince whose action in the service to his people is louder than his words hails from the Anioma axis of Delta state, and he was a prominent member of the House of Representatives, representing Aniocha/Oshimili Federal constituency from 1999 to 2003 – where he proved his mettle as a worthy representative and ambassador of his people.
People’s endearment towards him is borne out of gratitude. Many both in Delta and Nigeria at large have not forgotten the role he played in the Paris Club refund.
He is widely considered, and rightly so as the principal actor in the Paris Club loan refunds under the Obasanjo administration – a rare show of patriotism and love for the country. He was the author of the reports that led to Nigerian government’s discontinuation of monthly deductions from states’ allocations and commencement of refunds to states.
He did not stop at that, as he further assisted the states to recover over $20 billion of deductions from various foreign loans.
A positively -inclined restless spirit, Prince Nwoko went on to investigate the multinational creditors and stumbled upon discrepancies in loan repayments, and this led to the refund of the first tranches of loan during the Obasanjo administration.
It is on record- in his unrelenting drive to do the right thing- that he took the Federal government to court on behalf of 774 Local governments for the refund of illegal deductions and obtained judgment of $3.2billion for the local governments. The Federal Government of Nigeria has reportedly refunded all the monies in line with the court judgment of 2013.
Among his early cheerleaders is the current presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, who was one of the first governors to visit Prince Nwoko’s office in London to give instructions in connection with Anambra state’s foreign loans.
He is brutally frank in pursuing truth no matter whose ox is gored.
He has the proverbial touch of the Midas. He doesn’t do things halfway, but does it through to the end once it will benefit lots of people. Nwoko, a passionate advocate of malaria eradication, embarked on a symbolic expedition to Antarctica to launch a Malaria Eradication Project in 2020. This made him the first black African to visit the South Pole Antarctica.
He has been an unrelenting advocate of malaria eradication. This amiable Prince of the south-south was elected to campaign for the eradication of malaria in Africa through his foundation. This is of the many areas of positive interventions to make an impact in the lives of the people, especially the Anioma people.
He is not happy that about 300,000 people are reported to die of malaria annually in Nigeria, mostly children. According to 2020 World Malaria report, Nigeria had the highest number of cases in 2019.
He has vigorously campaigned for vaccine development, integrated vector management, advocacy and mobilisation. According to him, ‘’Research has revealed that malaria and mosquitoes are not natural to us: they can be eradicated. The first thing is to address the cause, mosquito, which breeds and multiplies in dirty environment’’. He also sponsored the Malaria Eradication and Waste Management Bill to provide a legal framework for the battle against this killer disease when he was a member of the House of Representatives.
A passionate champion of sports. He set up one of the foremost composite sports Universities in Africa – in his native Idumuje-Ugboko. The federal government recently approved the university for take-off. Academic exercise commenced at the university in September 2022.
Nwoko says about the sports university: “The project has not only been in the pipeline since 2017, but a burning desire and one of the bills I proposed while in the house of representatives, which has finally seen the light of the day. However, there is a misconception that sports hamper a child’s dedication towards academics. The university is modelled to pursue the advancement of learning in specialised areas of sports development including management as well as to conduct specialised professional coaching courses, and research to advance various breakthroughs in sports.”
No wonder, he was able to secure the PDP ticket in May 2022, to contest a seat in the Senate. Prince Nwoko won the PDP ticket to represent the party in the Delta north senatorial district election in the 2023 polls – by a landslide.
The delegates voted massively for him as a sign of endorsement and faith in him to represent them at the Red Chamber.
He secured 242 votes to defeat Paul Osaji, his closest opponent, who secured 67 out of 310 votes.
Prince Nwoko has won many awards and recognition, some of which include NATIONAL WAVES Public Service Award in Humanity, 2022, Africa Value Awards; Effective Leadership and Youth Empowerment; Peace Achievers Awards; Delta Role Model Awards – Humanitarian Services; Prime Excellence Recognition Awards – Man of the year; Abuja AR Reporters Awards- Man of the year; Suncity Champions of Democracy Awards – Humanitarian Services; stars awards for Tourism Development in Africa; University of Nigeria, Nsukka Nigeria Philanthropy Awards’ Anti-corruption crusader Awards, All Africa Music Awards AFRIMMA, and Africa Community Impact Awards.
He is a self-effacing, refined gentleman and the best epitome of purpose, sacrifice, devotion and commitment to national ethos.
He has succeeded in business; private practice as a lawyer, politics; as an educator, philanthropist; a sports patron and as a patriotic citizen of Nigeria.
He began his early life and education in Nigeria before proceeding to King’s College London, where he received an LLM in maritime and commercial law. He had previously obtained his first degree in law and history at the University of Keele, England. He was subsequently called to the English bar at Lincoln’s Inn. He is currently a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales.
In view of these intimidating credentials, the Publisher and the entire Management of National Waves have endorsed his candidature for Delta North Senatorial.
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