Versatile politician and former 10th Senate Minority Whip, Senator Darlington Nwokocha, has been elected as Global President of the University of Port Harcourt(UNIPORT) Alumni Association.

Senator Nwokocha was elected at the association’s Annual General Meeting(AGM) held on Saturday at the 2025 National Tri-ennial Delegates Elective Convention of UNIPORT Alumni Association which held from June 20 to 22 in Umuahia, Abia State.

In his acceptance speech, the new president expressed gratitude to members for their trust and support, calling for unity and cooperation among alumni to reposition the association and further contribute to the growth and development of their alma mater.

“With a heart full of gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility, I stand before you, humbled by your confidence, inspired by our shared legacy, and committed to the next chapter of our collective journey.

“Being elected president of this prestigious Alumni Association is not just an honour; it is a sacred trust, entrusted to me by a community of trailblazers, innovators, and leaders shaping industries, policies, and lives across the globe. I thank you profoundly for this mandate.

“My years in public service, spanning both State and National Assemblies, have taught me the power of collaboration, vision, and legacy. These are the values I bring to this new role.

“As a proud alumnus of the University of Port Harcourt, I believe it is time we elevate our association to match the calibre of its members and the promise of its future, anchored on what I call the 3Rs;Reconnect! Reinvest! and Reposition!”

The new president added that ,”Together, we will Reconnect alumni across the globe, deepen engagement across generations of the alumni and build stronger bonds and mutual support. Reinvest by channeling our collective capacity to support the University’s academic excellence, infrastructure, and innovation.

“Reposition —Establish UNIPORT Alumni as a formidable global network, a strategic partner in nation-building, and a beacon of influence in academia, business, public service, and beyond.

“Let us be audacious in our vision and united in our execution. This is more than an association, it is a movement; one that will define the next era for UNIPORT and for us all. Thank you for your trust and together, let’s build greatness”, he urged.

The UNIPORT Alumni Association is the official global network of graduates from the University of Port Harcourt.

With a growing membership base of over 300,000 alumni globally, the association represents a dynamic and diverse community of leaders, professionals, innovators, and globally renowned change agents making high-level impact in both public and private sectors.

Through strategic programmes and collaborative initiatives, the alumni association supports the advancement of the university’s mission, enhances student experience, and contributes to national development.

The election of Senator Nwokocha as president is coming at a critical juncture of the alumni association, as the body has in recent times faced challenges related to fragmented leadership, diminished institutional cohesion and visibility, and a lack of strategic vision for alumni-driven development.

For many, Senator Darlington Nwokocha’s emergence as president of the alumni association represents a timely and transformative opportunity.

Distinguished Senator Darlington Nwokocha, representing Abia Central Senatorial District, was elected Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the Platform of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections.

He was later elected the Minority Whip/Principal Officer of the 10th Senate and Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on NDDC, but left the Senate after six months of outstanding representation following the decision of the National Assembly Election Petitions Appeal Court.

The new UNIPORT Alumni President had previously served for eight successive years in the House of Representatives, from 2015 to 2023 as the member representing Isiala Ngwa North/Isiala Ngwa South Federal Constituency, Abia State.

He served as Chairman, House Committee on Insurance and Actuarial Matters and was also the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Character Commission (FCC).

Before his election to the Nigerian House of Representatives, Nwokocha represented Isiala Ngwa South Constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly for 8 years from 2007 to 2015.

Senator Nwokocha also served as Chairman of the Adhoc Committee on Niger-Delta Power Holding Limited; Adhoc Committee on Pipelines Explosion/Fire Outbreak in Rivers State and Chairman, of the Adhoc Committee on Failure of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), and presently the Acting National Secretary of Labour Party.

With decades of tested leadership in public service, legislative innovation, and grassroots development, Senator Nwokocha brings the credibility, national and global visibility, and strategic acumen required to reposition the association as a formidable force for institutional advancement to transform the UNIPORT Alumni community.

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