Nigerian lawmaker, Ned Nwoko has denied marrying Nollywood actress Regina Daniels at the age of 17.
According to him, he got married to the actress at the age of 19.
He gave the clarification in a statement released by the Communication and Technical Action Team from his office.
“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. 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,” he said.
Nwoko emphasized that their marriage has always been open and lawful, adding that he has shown Regina love and care. “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,” he stated.
He condemned what he described as false reports being spread online, linking them to political motives. “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,” the senator said.
“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.
The Senator representing Delta North also claimed that Regina had previously struggled with substance use and that she and her sister were expelled from school over drug-related issues.
“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. Yet some people keep pushing this false narrative to damage my reputation. She openly admitted to using drugs and said she was on bipolar medication,” Nwoko stated.
He further alleged that certain individuals were manipulating Regina as part of a smear campaign against him. “Her medical records are verifiable, but the enemies of progress are now manipulating her to achieve their aims. If she had any secrets to reveal, she would have done so. She has nothing. All the current stories being circulated are fabricated and amount to criminal defamation, and those behind this smear campaign will have their day to prove their claims,” the statement concluded.
