Has Cupid Missed His Shot in Regina Daniels and Ned Nwoko’s Marriage?

Ongoing family dispute between Nollywood actress Regina Daniels and her estranged husband, Senator Ned Nwoko has witnessed series of explosive accusations, suggesting the relationship may have reached its end. Ferdinand Ekechukwu captures the issues that have characterised the once celebrated union

The marital crisis between actress, Regina Daniels and Senator Ned Nwoko has for various reasons continued to attract public attention. The issue has witnessed messages, video clips, accusations, counters, arrests, and an online court of public opinion trying to assign blame. At the centre are three people: Regina Daniels, her estranged husband Senator Ned Nwoko, and her mother, Rita Daniels.

The couple’s relationship, once celebrated and admired by their followers, now faces one of its most difficult challenges. What started as private disagreements has degenerated with accusations, allegations, denials, and vitriolic exchanges. And in ways courted pity parties for both estranged partners amid a dispute that has drawn widespread attention on social media and tabloids.

Initially, Regina deleted her social media pages, fuelling speculation that things were not well at home. When Regina returned to social media, most photos of her husband had disappeared from her Instagram page. She introduced herself only as “Regina Daniels,” without mentioning Nwoko’s name, raising fresh talks of trouble and separation.

It’s as if the Nigerian public was waiting for the moment for it to spew deep rooted thoughts, and opinions on Senator Nwoko, a well-known polygamist and the Nollywood actress Regina. She has made most, or herself, ‘type shit’ with the slogan in comment sections lately as social media has remained epicenter of their battlefield.

The controversy escalated after a video of the 25-year-old actress in distress went viral. The issue, which spiralled from a viral clip on October 18, to allegations of drug use and the alleged arrest of her family members, took a new turn when Regina shared a video on Instagram, opening up about her marriage, her mother, and her children.

The viral video of Regina accusing her 64-year-old husband of domestic abuse “became a perfect depiction of all that  glitter is not gold”.  In the video, Regina opened up about her struggles, family, and the toll the recent crisis have taken on her peace of mind. The actress pleaded with Nigerians to stop attacking her mother, whom she described as her “pillar and protector,” and vowed to raise her sons with or without her husband’s support.

“Hey guys, please stop insulting my mom, I beg you,” she appealed. “She’s the best thing that ever happened to me. She’s my God on earth. For seven years, my mom held it down. You all insulted her, but she tried. She warned me. My brothers warned me. Everybody did,” Regina said. She claimed that her family initially opposed her marriage to Nwoko, but she went ahead because she was in love.

Regina denied widespread notions that her mother forced her into the relationship for financial reasons, stressing that she had always supported her family even before marriage. In the same viral video, Regina spoke passionately about her sons, Munir (born 2020) and Khalifa (born 2022), vowing to protect and raise them regardless of any marital challenges.

Regina in the video accused Nwoko of domestic violence and further revealed that she was no longer interested in her troubled marriage to the politician and businessman, stating that she could no longer endure the alleged abuse.  Nwoko in turn denied the allegations, claiming that Regina was influenced by substance and alcohol addiction.

Amid the crisis, the actress flaunted a new home she acquired for herself despite her husband’s insistence that she should enter rehabilitation centre where she would have no access to drugs.  Regina later revealed her estranged husband ordered the arrest of her siblings. According to her, Nwoko was using his political influence to intimidate her family members.

She wrote, “My big brother and sister have been arrested. My baby sister might be next.”  The actress pleaded, “Leave my family alone, Ned, and leave me alone too, please.”  She also accused police officers of assaulting her brother during the arrest incident.   Regina would later expressed joy over the reunion of her estranged parents following the arrest of her siblings.

She described it as a long-awaited moment of peace in her family. In a post, Regina said her parents, once sworn enemies, had reconciled solely for her happiness. “Two concluded sworn enemies reuniting with no negative ulterior motive other than their daughter’s happiness. And I dare question God for putting me in this situation?” she wrote.

Since then, Regina has continued to inundate the public with photos and videos of herself on social media. Also, Rita Daniels, Regina’s mother, publicly accused Nwoko of exploiting her daughter’s fame and finances. In a statement, she alleged that Regina gave her husband $50,000 to fund his election campaign and staged a protest demanding the release of her detained children.

“Ned Nwoko used Regina’s high star to boost his fallen star. Regina gave Ned $50,000 for his campaign. Ned, which money do you have? Regina is covering you, the same way you went up you will come down,” she claimed. Against the growing concern surrounding the family conflict, Regina’s elder brother, Swezzy, made a series of posts addressing what he described as a “false narrative” about Regina allegedly taking an oath before marrying Nwoko.

In a post on his Instagram Story, Regina’s brother Sammy West had confirmed that he was being held at the Ogombo Police Division in Lagos, an allegation also corroborated by his brother, Sweezzy, on his own Instagram Story. There’s been assertion that, Sweezzy had alleged on Instagram that Nwoko’s son died from cardiac arrest and heart failure, allegedly caused by excessive drug use.

However, in a response, the Police Command’s spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, denied that Lagos officers were responsible for Sammy West’s arrest.  Ms Adebisi clarified that the officers who carried out the operation were on official assignment from Abuja and acted with a duly signed warrant.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command confirmed the arrest of Sammy West on charges including conspiracy, trespass, assault, criminal intimidation, theft, and cyberbullying, according to reports. The command’s spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, stated that he was apprehended in Lagos and subsequently flown to Abuja after failing to respond to previous police invitations.

She added that the court remanded Sammy West pending the fulfillment of his bail conditions, but did not reveal who filed the petition that led to his arrest. In a detailed Facebook post, Mr. Nwoko alleged that Sammy West repeatedly harassed his children and domestic staff in his absence. He further claimed that he introduced Regina to drugs and undermined efforts to help her quit.

Nwoko also alleged that Sammy West, along with some siblings and friends, had turned his residence into a drug den. The situation took a new twist after the actress’s siblings launched an online petition against the lawmaker on Change.org.  In the petition, initiated by Samuel Ojeogwu and titled “Hold Ned Nwoko Accountable for Abuse of Power, Nwoko was accused of abusing his power, violating fundamental human rights, and intimidating Regina and her family.

According to the initiators, the petition aims to demand justice and ensure accountability.

“Nwoko’s alleged misconduct is not only an affront to Regina Daniels and her family but also a potential threat to all Nigerians who believe in fairness, justice, and the rule of law. His actions were reportedly more than just personal transgressions; they reflect a misuse of influence that undermines the democratic principles Nigeria relies upon,” the petition read.

“The alarming reports circulating in the media claim that Nwoko has leveraged his position and influence to obstruct legal rights and intimidate. Such actions, if left unchecked, could pave the way for an environment where influence overshadows justice. Nigerians in Lagos and beyond should not remain silent onlookers to these grave accusations”, said the petitioners.

Regina’s brother, Samuel “Sammy West” Ojeogwu, who was allegedly arrested and detained on the orders of her estranged husband, was later granted bail. Regina and her siblings accused Nwoko of ordering Sammy West’s arrest and subsequent remand in prison for defending his sister against alleged domestic violence inflicted by the lawmaker.

Following the allegation, several public figures, including actress Mercy Johnson-Okojie, activist Omoyele Sowore and others demanded Sammy West’s immediate release by an Abuja Magistrate Court.

Regina Daniels and Ned Nwoko’s marriage became public in May 2019 when clips of the traditional wedding held in her hometown in Anioma, Delta State, went viral. According to her mother, Regina was almost 20, and her response to the backlash that Regina was marrying a man old enough to be her father was that Nigerians were “drinking Panadol for another person’s headache.”

Rita had described their union as one of love, in spite of Nwoko being 59 years old at the time. Since then, till now, there has been a timeline of public issues, especially in 2025. From Chika Ike’s pregnancy rumours, to her removing Nwoko photos from her Instagram, it seemed like her opps were waiting with bated breath for the last straw that would break the camel’s back.

In a twist in the once-celebrated marriage, Nwoko claimed he had given N125 million to Regina’s mother over the past two years, responding to reports that Regina accused him of neglecting her family. The viral video of Regina accusing Nwoko of domestic abuse was quite as shocking as it appeared.

Nwoko’s camp responded with counter-allegations, including public statements about Regina’s alleged substance use and about the family’s behaviour.

He also spoke on the arrest of Regina’s brother, Sammy, who had threatened the Senator.

 The lawmaker wrote on social media: “Unfortunately, Sammy, Destiny, some of their siblings, together with a few of their friends, notably Sonia Uche Montana, among others… would come into the house uninvited, sometimes forcing their way in, and would bring her the same drugs she was being treated for.

“Instead of helping her recover, they encouraged her addiction and completely frustrated the efforts of the doctors and therapists working with her.” He framed the marital tension as a result of Regina’s alleged drug use and supposed mental instability. “These videos show Sammy, Regina’s brother, repeatedly coming to my home and harassing my children and domestic staff, especially whenever I was not around.

“His visits were often aggressive and disruptive. This is someone I sponsored through his last two years at the University…”

Regina didn’t take it lying low; she wrote an emotive piece claiming she was 17 years old when she got married to Nwoko. She also alleged that her husband actively encouraged her to use drugs because he found her behaviour sexually appealing when she was under the influence. Descending into a series of explosive accusations, suggesting the relationship may have reached its end.

Responding to the age brouhaha, and controversies surrounding his six-year marriage to Regina, Nwoko described it as a coordinated campaign of political blackmail against him.

However, many people are of the opinion, and they have placed the blame solely on Rita’s doorstep. They see her as a mother who allowed her young daughter to be married off to a much older, powerful man. To those critics, it isn’t just poor parenting; it’s selling a child’s future for wealth and status.