The Senator representing the Delta North Senatorial District, Ned Nwoko, has rebuffed reports that he married Regina Daniels, his estranged wife, when she was 17 years old.

Nwoko dismissed the reports amid calls by a section of the media that he must be investigated for marrying an underage girl. Former presidential candidate, Owoyele Sowore, was among those who called for his arrest and prosecution in the United Kingdom.

He dismissed the claims in a statement issued by the Communication/Technical Action Team, Office of the Senator, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Monday.

According to Nwoko, he married his wife when she was 19 years old, contrary to the reports.

“For clarity, 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,” he said.

He noted that the public witnessed her family giving her out in marriage and that her mother personally brought her to him.

“Our customs and traditions do not frown upon polygamy. What I did was to marry her honourably, give her a name, and treat her with dignity.

“Our marriage has been public and transparent. 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, therefore, disheartening to read all this filth being spread online. As the saying goes, when a wall cracks, the lizard finds its way in. 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 added.

Meanwhile, Nwoko has alleged that a “syndicate of pull-down-Ned” group is taking advantage of the situation involving his wife, Regina Daniels, to tarnish his image.

Nwoko made this claim amid reports of ongoing marital challenges between him and the Nollywood actress.

He noted that individuals who had targeted him for years were now using the situation to criminalise him before the international community, describing it as a coordinated gang-up.

“Beyond this, the talk about me grabbing land in my hometown is false and unfortunate. The truth is that 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.

“Unfortunately, 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.”