The immediate past Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, OON, has been honoured with his investiture as a Fellow and Grand Patron of the Centre for Sustainable Development of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun, alongside the Award of Champion of Sustainable Development conferred by the university in collaboration with the Sustainable Development Goals Agency.
The colourful investiture ceremony, described by participants as a landmark in the recognition of sustainable development efforts, was held on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Pinnacle Hotel, Asaba, as part of activities marking the 5th Anniversary of the Round Table on Sustainable Development.
The event brought together key stakeholders, policymakers, and development advocates, highlighting what organisers described as a turning point in acknowledging individuals with proven track records in advancing sustainable development initiatives in Nigeria.
In their remarks, the Vice Chancellor of FUPRE, Professor Ezekiel Agbalagba, represented by Professor Akindele Okewale, and the Executive Secretary of the SDG Agency, represented by Engr. Felix Ogbe, stated that the honour followed a thorough assessment of Elumelu’s contributions to national development.
They noted that his impactful roles as Chairman of the House Committee on Power and Energy, Chairman of the House Committee on Health, and later as Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, demonstrated a consistent commitment to policies and programmes that promote sustainable development.
The organisers praised his enviable track record, noting that his interventions in power, healthcare, poverty alleviation, empowerment, and job creation have significantly improved the lives of his constituents and contributed meaningfully to national growth.
They added that the awards were designed not only to recognise his past achievements but also to encourage sustained advocacy for development-focused initiatives.
Receiving the honours on his behalf, the Secretary to the Aniocha North Local Government, Hon. Kennedy Okoh, expressed appreciation to both organisations for what he described as a diligent effort in tracking and recognising Elumelu’s contributions
Okoh said Elumelu’s impact extends beyond the power and health sectors, stressing that his initiatives in poverty reduction, employment generation, and grassroots development have positively affected lives across the Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency and beyond.
He emphasised that there is hardly any of the 58 communities in the constituency without one or more people-oriented projects facilitated by Elumelu, all aimed at fostering sustainable development at the grassroots level.
According to him, the former Minority Leader’s responsiveness to calls by constituents to return to the House of Representatives in 2027 reflects his commitment to sustaining and expanding development efforts. He called for continued support from stakeholders to realise this vision.
The highpoint of the event was the formal investiture of Elumelu as Fellow, Grand Patron, and Champion of Sustainable Development by representatives of both institutions.
The ceremony was attended by members of the Ndudi Godwin Elumelu Campaign (NGE) Organisation, alongside other stakeholders and supporters, underscoring the broad recognition of his contributions to sustainable development.
