Sola Benson

Senator representing Delta North, Ned Nwoko, has denied claims by his estranged wife, Nollywood actress Regina Daniels, that he married her when she was 17 years old. The lawmaker described the allegations as “false, misleading, and malicious,” insisting that his wife was 21 at the time of their marriage.

In a statement shared on his verified social media accounts on Thursday, Nwoko said the claims were part of a wider effort to damage his reputation amid their ongoing marital crisis. He maintained that Regina provided an Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) voter’s card during their first meeting, which indicated that she was born on October 10, 1998.

“For clarity, during my first meeting with Regina, I asked her age, and she told me she was 21 years old. She presented her INEC voter’s card showing she was born in 1998. I have kept this document since that day,” he said.

According to Nwoko, the marriage took place six years ago, which, by his account, makes Regina 27 years old today. He urged the public to disregard suggestions that he married her as a minor.

The senator also alleged that Regina’s recent public statements were influenced by her “current mental condition,” claiming she had started but failed to complete a rehabilitation program for drug addiction. He urged Nigerians to approach her claims “with caution and discernment.”

The public feud between the couple intensified after Regina Daniels admitted to using illicit substances, alleging that Nwoko introduced her to drugs for sexual purposes. The senator countered this claim, accusing Regina’s brother, Sammy Daniels, of being responsible for her drug exposure and of sabotaging efforts to rehabilitate her.

The dispute comes after weeks of social media exchanges and accusations of domestic violence, which Nwoko has repeatedly denied. He attributed the breakdown of their marriage to Regina’s “struggle with substance abuse” and reaffirmed his call for her to seek treatment.

The controversy deepened when Regina’s brother, Sammy, was arrested in Lagos, transferred to Abuja, and later remanded pending his bail fulfilment. Amid the family turmoil, Regina revealed that her long-separated parents had reconciled following the crisis.

The ongoing saga continues to attract public attention, with both parties standing by their versions of events as the fallout from their once-celebrated union unfolds.