Senate President Godswill Akpabio has declared that the people of Niger Delta have resolved to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, citing key developmental projects initiated by the administration in the oil-rich region.
Senator Akpabio made the declaration on Saturday during the grand finale of the Niger Delta Development Commission’s (NDDC) 25th anniversary celebration in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The event was attended by dignitaries including former president Goodluck Jonathan, secretary to the government of the federation George Akume (who represented President Tinubu), Rivers State administrator admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas (rtd), lawmakers, traditional rulers and other key stakeholders.
According to a statement by his media aide Anietie Ekong, Akpabio said President Tinubu had shown genuine commitment to the development of the Niger Delta through institutions and infrastructure.
“In the past, the Niger Delta was the goose that laid the golden egg, but we had nothing to show for it,” Akpabio said.
“Today, President Tinubu has established an Environmental Sciences University in Ogoniland, passed legislation for a Maritime University in Okerenkoko, and facilitated the creation of other tertiary institutions in agriculture and technology across the region.”
The Senate President also issued a warning to political actors seeking to unseat the president.
“We in the Niger Delta have assessed President Tinubu and found him fit to continue beyond 2027. Let those conspiring against him remember what happened to our son, President Jonathan. This time, we speak with one voice: on Tinubu’s mandate we stand,” he declared.
Akpabio also decried the frequent change of leadership at the NDDC, blaming it for the thousands of abandoned projects scattered across the region.
He said the high turnover of managing directors had become a major obstacle to long-term planning and execution.
“There were many reasons NDDC struggled over the years. One of them is what I call ‘periwinkle politics’, where everyone wants to be in charge, and internal conspiracies derail progress,” he said.
He cited his tenure as minister of Niger Delta affairs, when he ordered the completion of the NDDC headquarters after more than two decades of delays, as an example of what leadership continuity could achieve.
Akpabio praised the current NDDC management, led by Samuel Ogbuku, for stabilising the commission and focusing on legacy projects.
“The Federal Government, under President Tinubu, recognizes that stability is essential. That’s why Dr. Ogbuku’s team was allowed to complete its term and I salute them for their work so far,” Akpabio said.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan also lauded the Tinubu administration for sustaining the current NDDC board, describing the decision as a step toward lasting development in the region.
President Tinubu, in a message delivered by SGF George Akume, reaffirmed the strategic importance of the NDDC and highlighted his administration’s efforts to enhance infrastructure in the region.
He cited the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as a transformative project that would boost regional connectivity and complement the East-West Road.
“The NDDC remains pivotal to the economic growth and well-being of the Niger Delta. We are committed to sustainable development that leaves no one behind,” the president stated.
The anniversary celebration marked a moment of reflection and renewed calls for collaboration, transparency and continuity in the drive to develop the Niger Delta.