Senator Ned Nwoko has alleged that there is a coordinated attempt to criminalise him internationally by exploiting his ongoing marital dispute with his wife, actress Regina Daniels.
Nwoko, who represents Delta North Senatorial District, made the claim while reacting to recent interventions by activist Omoyele Sowore and U.S.-based journalist Jebose, accusing them of using his marital challenges to damage his global reputation.
He described Sowore and Jebose as members of a long-standing “pull down Ned syndicate” who, according to him, are taking advantage of Regina Daniels’ vulnerability.
In a statement issued by his Communication/Technical Action Team in Abuja on Monday, Nwoko said:
“What we are seeing is a regrouping of individuals taking advantage of a young woman who is unwell and has admitted to using drugs.”
“Sowore and Jebose are now using my marital challenge to criminalise me internationally in a coordinated gang up.”
Nwoko also addressed accusations of land grabbing in his hometown, describing the claims as false.
“The talk about me grabbing land in my hometown is false and unfortunate. I was allocated a piece of land for which I made a genuine offer of payment to establish the University of Sports, a project that exists today and serves the community.”
“Anyone who seeks progress in our society is often attacked and torn down by their own people. That is the sad difference between us and other ethnic groups.
“Those exploiting her present condition to settle old scores, knowing they have no case against me, will eventually face justice. They must also be careful with the defamatory statements they continue to make because they will be required to prove them.
“If by now she has not brought up any credible allegation against me, it means there is nothing illegal about me except that I want her to seek rehabilitation, a condition that existed long before our marriage.
“It is on record that she started using drugs from an early age. These facts are verifiable through her medical history and in a court of law. The whole world has read her own accounts of substance use, and her former schoolmates have testified online that she and her sister dropped out of school because of drug-related issues.
Nwoko insisted that some persons were deliberately promoting “false narratives” to damage his image.
“She openly admitted to using drugs and said she was on bipolar medication. Yet some people keep pushing this false narrative to destroy my reputation.”
He also clarified Regina’s age at marriage, “Regina Daniels was born on October 10, 2000. If she has been married for six years, that means she got married at 19 years old, not 17.
“The public witnessed her family giving her out in marriage, and her mother personally brought her to me. Our customs do not frown on polygamy. I married her honorably, gave her a name, and treated her with dignity.
“Beyond the social media lifestyle, my world revolved around Regina. I pampered her and cared for her deeply, something everyone who has worked with me across Delta, Abuja, and beyond can testify to.
“It is disheartening to read all this filth being spread online. Regina has become a weak point through which my political and personal enemies are attacking me. My decision to marry her properly according to tradition is now being twisted into a tool for political blackmail.”
“This is a witch hunt that has been ongoing for years, an attempt to stop my developmental strides and tarnish me now that I am a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he concluded.