Senator Ned Munir Nwoko, representing Delta North Senatorial District, has been recognised among the top 10 senators in the 10th National Assembly by BusinessDay for his legislative contributions and performance-driven representation.
According to the publication, Nwoko was selected based on his contributions to legislation, advocacy, institutional reforms, economic development and constituency representation.
BusinessDay said Nwoko had brought “intellect, intensity, and unmistakable presence” to national discourse since his inauguration into the 10th Senate.
It said his election was driven by the expectations of the Anioma people for effective representation and that, two years into his tenure, this had translated into “visible leadership, bold advocacy, and deliberate action”.
The publication noted that Nwoko had pursued an agenda focused on legislation that reflects the aspirations of Nigerians while paying strategic attention to the needs of his constituents.
It also highlighted his appointments as Deputy Chairman of the Senate Committees on Environment and Sports Development and his current chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Reparations and Repatriation.
BusinessDay further cited his motion seeking an investigation into crude oil theft in the Niger Delta, which led to the establishment of an ad hoc committee that he now chairs.
According to the publication, the senator's record extends beyond committee assignments, with his interventions covering security, healthcare, education, economic development, institutional reform, environmental protection and social welfare.
It said Nwoko had sponsored or co-sponsored more than 30 bills and moved over 25 motions since joining the Senate.
Among the bills highlighted are proposals for the creation of Aniocha State, establishment of a National Agency for Malaria Elimination, mandatory physical offices for social media platforms operating in Nigeria, establishment of the Federal College of Agriculture, Idumuje-Ugboko, and upgrade of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba, to a Federal University of Technology.
Others include bills seeking to restrict daytime movement of heavy-duty vehicles, establish a Federal College of Education in Akwukwu-Igbo, establish an orthopaedic hospital at Onicha Ugbo, prohibit foreign currency payment of remuneration and provide for diaspora voting.
Nwoko also sponsored bills on the National Talent Rehabilitation and Integration Agency, an additional Nigerian Defence Academy in Kwale, self-defence and personal firearm ownership, full local government autonomy, an Institute for Leadership, Entrepreneurial and Corporate Governance, and citizenship applications for African descendants.
Other proposed legislation yet to appear on the Order Paper includes the Nigerian Youth Entrepreneurship Grant Programme, One-Month Rent Limitation and Landlord Registry Act, Electoral Courts Establishment and Jurisdiction Act, Compulsory Professional Indemnity Act, Cashless Asset Acquisition Act and legislation governing the election of Nigerians into the ECOWAS Parliament.
Also listed are proposals for a Parliamentary Governance System, licensing of private security companies, mandatory first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation training, extension of the retirement age for civil servants, a National Centre for Substance Abuse Management in Ndemili, mandatory military service for youths, ranches across Nigeria's 774 local government areas and the FCT, visa-free entry for African Union passport holders, and restrictions on foreign ownership of mining licences.
His motions, according to BusinessDay, have addressed issues including reparations for historical injustices, the 1967 Asaba massacre, crude oil theft in the Niger Delta, African representation at the United Nations Security Council, social media regulation, kidnappings in the Federal Capital Territory, gas flaring, healthcare standards, import restrictions and dialogue with separatist groups.
He also raised concerns over electricity supply in Ndokwa land and the Okpai Independent Power Plant, military intervention in Niger Republic, compulsory police reports before emergency treatment, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, daytime movement of heavy-duty vehicles, fintech security, security threats in Delta State, foreign-currency salary payments, CBN staff terminations and flooding in Delta North.
The recognition also considered Nwoko's constituency interventions across the nine local government areas of Delta North.
Projects listed include classroom construction and renovation, ICT centres, provision of computers and laptops, renovation and equipping of healthcare facilities, drug supplies and medical outreaches.
His constituency initiatives also cover training and empowerment programmes for market women, youths, women and farmers, cassava farming, livestock production, Akwa-Ocha production, agricultural mechanisation, fish farming, fertiliser distribution and extension services.
Some of the projects have been completed, while others are ongoing or captured for implementation.
BusinessDay also highlighted Nwoko's role in the restoration of the Aniocha North II State Constituency.
On March 11, 2025, he sponsored and moved a motion in the Senate seeking compliance with the Supreme Court judgment of November 29, 2019, which affirmed the restoration of the constituency and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct elections.
The Senate unanimously adopted the motion and transmitted it to the House of Representatives. On May 15, 2025, the House concurred with the Senate's resolution.
The process followed a legal battle that began in 2014 when nine communities in Aniocha North sought restoration of the constituency. The Court of Appeal ruled in their favour in 2017, while the Supreme Court upheld the decision in 2019.
Nwoko's intervention also featured in the release of King Clement Ikolo, the traditional ruler of Ewu Kingdom, who was detained following the Okuama incident that led to the death of Nigerian soldiers.
The senator engaged the Chief of Defence Staff and appealed for the monarch's release, citing justice, health considerations and the need to prevent further tension.
He also offered to stand as surety for the monarch. King Ikolo was subsequently released.
In another security intervention, Nwoko engaged the 63 Brigade, Asaba, following the discovery of an illegal arms factory in Onicha-Olona, Delta State.
Four people linked to the incident were released following his intervention, while he continued to advocate due process for others still in detention.
The senator also used the incident to advocate a broader policy of identifying, rehabilitating and integrating people with technical skills who had operated outside the law.
He cited the reported skills of some of those involved, including drone construction and mechanical modification, as examples of abilities that could potentially be redirected towards productive and lawful activities.
BusinessDay said the recognition was based on Nwoko's legislative interventions, constituency projects, advocacy and efforts to translate his mandate into tangible outcomes.
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