By Former President Goodluck Jonathan has hailed the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) as a uniquely impactful institution in Nigeria’s history, noting its role in producing some of the country’s top leaders.
Speaking through Godknows Igali, who represented him as the special guest of honour at the UNIPORT Alumni 80s Reunion Dinner and Award Ceremony in Umuahia, Jonathan highlighted the university’s unmatched legacy.
“UNIPORT is the only university that has produced six governors, a vice president, and a president—all of whom are our alumni,” he stated.
Jonathan praised Governor Alex Otti, himself an alumnus, for showcasing “intentionality in leadership” and urged Nigerian governance to emulate the Abia governor’s transformative approach.
“Let governance in Nigeria take a cue from what Otti is doing in the state,” Jonathan added.
In his own remarks, Governor Otti welcomed his former classmates, reminding them their last gathering was 12 years ago in Port Harcourt during Chibuike Amaechi’s administration. He proposed holding the next reunion in Bayelsa, with Governor Douye Diri, another UNIPORT alumnus, as host.
Otti also encouraged his fellow alumni to enter the political space:
“Partisan politics is not as bad as it’s perceived. Many of us stayed away for too long.”
He shared updates on his administration’s efforts, citing the reconstruction of 200 Primary Health Centers and 221 schools across 184 wards and reiterated his commitment to social sectors:
“Education and health take 20% and 15% of our annual budget respectively—35% in total. That is non-negotiable.”
The night was one of nostalgia, inspiration, and a renewed call to action, celebrating UNIPORT’s legacy of leadership and service to humanity.
