Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Sunday showered glowing tributes on the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Samuel Ogbuku, describing his two years in office as “impactful, focused, and transformative” for the Niger Delta region.
Akpabio, who spoke at a colourful celebration held in honour of Ogbuku’s 50th birthday, commended the Commission’s management team for steering the agency away from its troubled past into what he called “a new era of credibility and performance.”
The Senate President, who himself served as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs in the past, recalled the history of corruption, abandoned projects, and community distrust that once plagued the NDDC. He said Ogbuku’s administration had restored public confidence through project delivery and transparent leadership.
“Today, we are not just celebrating a man; we are celebrating God’s goodness to the good people of the Niger Delta through the management of the NDDC,” Akpabio declared to applause.
He noted that the current NDDC leadership had completed long-abandoned projects, including a major electricity scheme in Ondo State that had left several communities in darkness for over 14 years. According to him, the project was finally commissioned under Ogbuku and his board.
Akpabio, fondly remembered as the “uncommon governor” of Akwa Ibom, compared the present Commission with the one he knew in the past. He recounted how projects were once awarded in hotel rooms, with contractors collecting full payments for phantom jobs. Roads were built on weak soils without reclamation, collapsing after the first rains. In some cases, he said, the same contractor was awarded the same job repeatedly under different company names.
“That was the lot of the NDDC then,” Akpabio said. “But today, things have changed. Instead of coming here to submit names to replace a dissolved board, we are here to celebrate one.”
The Senate President described the present NDDC Board as the “most peaceful in history.” In the past, he said, boards rarely lasted 10 months before being dissolved for corruption. Now, he argued, Ogbuku’s management had brought stability, focus, and collaboration.
“Two years of impactful leadership, two years of cordiality, two years of collaboration, and two years of strength and vision,” Akpabio said. “This is the difference.”
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He urged Ogbuku to continue building legacies that would outlive him, stressing that leaders are remembered not by celebrations but by the projects they leave behind.
Akpabio also highlighted one of his own achievements as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs—the completion of the NDDC’s permanent headquarters project in Port Harcourt. He noted that before then, the Commission was paying over ₦300 million annually in rent. “Today, look at where you are,” he said, gesturing to the office complex. “A fantastic office, completed after 26 years of delay.”
The Senate President prayed for Ogbuku’s continued success, asking God to bless his family, children, and supporters. In his characteristic dramatic style, Akpabio declared that anyone who wished Ogbuku evil would not succeed. “Anybody that looks at you with a bad eye—that eye will not see again. Anybody that says you will not exist, God will not allow the person to exist,” he said.
He also teased the audience, asking them to indicate if they would be willing to return in 50 years to celebrate Ogbuku’s 100th birthday. The crowd responded with laughter and a resounding “Aye!”
Akpabio assured the NDDC boss of full support from the National Assembly, describing him as a performer whose work was making lawmakers proud. “The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the National Assembly that I chair, is very excited to work with a performer like you,” he said.
The NDDC has long been dogged by allegations of corruption, abandoned projects, and mismanagement of resources meant for the oil-rich Niger Delta. Since assuming office in 2022, Ogbuku has faced the difficult task of restoring credibility to the interventionist agency. Akpabio’s public endorsement adds significant political weight to Ogbuku’s leadership, especially as the Commission prepares for new project rollouts across the region.
The event was attended by top dignitaries, including representatives of President Bola Tinubu, Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, senators, former governors, and leaders of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF).
The Senate President’s speech ended on a note of hope and encouragement: “Congratulations, my brother. You have done very well. Continue the work, because the sky will not be your limit.”
