Former Senate Minority Whip, Senator Darlington Nwokocha, has been elected Global President of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) Alumni Association. His emergence followed the association’s National Triennial Delegates Elective Convention, which held from June 20 to 22 in Umuahia, Abia State.
Nwokocha, a former lawmaker who represented Abia Central in the 10th Senate, succeeds amid efforts to reposition the association and strengthen its institutional cohesion. His election comes at a time when the alumni body is seeking renewed direction following recent internal leadership challenges.
In his acceptance speech, Nwokocha pledged to advance the goals of the association through a strategy anchored on what he termed the “3Rs” — Reconnect, Reinvest, and Reposition. He urged members to work collaboratively to deepen engagement among alumni, support the university’s development efforts, and elevate the association’s profile.
“My years in public service have taught me the value of collaboration, vision and legacy,” Nwokocha said. “As a proud alumnus of UNIPORT, I believe it is time we elevate our association to match the calibre of its members and the promise of its future.”
He stated that under his leadership, the alumni body would work to reconnect graduates across generations, support infrastructure and academic development, and enhance the visibility and influence of the alumni community both nationally and internationally.
The University of Port Harcourt Alumni Association is a network of over 300,000 graduates of the institution, with members active across public service, academia, business, and civil society. The body supports university advancement and promotes the welfare of students and alumni through various strategic partnerships.
Nwokocha’s emergence has been welcomed by several members as a potential turning point for the association. His background in state and federal legislative roles, including his tenure in the House of Representatives from 2015 to 2023, is seen as an asset to the body’s evolving agenda.
He also held leadership positions in several House committees, including on Insurance, Federal Character Commission, and multiple ad hoc panels. Before his time in the National Assembly, he served for eight years in the Abia State House of Assembly.
Nwokocha, currently the Acting National Secretary of the Labour Party, briefly served in the Senate before a court ruling led to the end of his tenure. His election as alumni president marks a return to leadership with an institutional focus on education and legacy-building.
The convention in Umuahia was attended by delegates from across Nigeria and the diaspora, setting a renewed tone for the alumni association’s strategic direction under new leadership.
