Augustine Akobundu

Austin Okwudiri Akobundu (born 10 March 1956) is a Nigerian politician who is the current senator representing Abia Central. Austin Akobundu is a retired colonel of the Nigerian Army and former Minister of State for Defense under President Goodluck Jonathan's administration. He is the current Senator representing Abia Central in the Senate. He replaced Darlington Nwokocha whose election was nullified by the Court of Appeal on 4 November 2023. He was sworn in on 15 November 2023. Initially representing PDP, Akobundu defected to ADC in March 2026, participating in the Senate primaries ahead of 2027 Nigerian general election. Quotes The party went through lots of trauma and dislocations flowing from the loss of the 2015 elections. When we took over (in 2017), we were not given a chance. People did not believe that we had the capacity to resuscitate a party that was more or less on life support. We needed to restore confidence in the processes of the party, by reversing all the vices of the past, including the issue of corruption. Hitherto, the directorate used to be the hub of corruption, where anything was possible. People could win on the field and the loser will come to Wadata House (headquarters of the PDP in Abuja) and change the results… I summoned the necessary political will against these vices, which reversed the trend and restored confidence to our processes. I have credible intelligence that you are competing with your children to dance to the music of Burna Boy. You better leave the youths with their gbese dance! This programme is about investing in destinies and planting seeds in the lives of our young people. The harvest from this investment will secure the future of Abia Central Senatorial District through human capital development. No child in Abia Central should drop out of school because of poverty while I am their senator. Education remains the most enduring investment we can make in our people. It is the foundation for sustainable development, innovation and responsible leadership. Such a cause requires perseverance and strategic collaboration among patriots with the genuine interests of the common masses at heart. Such a cause can not be achieved by movements defined only by convenience. What has happened should not demoralise anyone, rather it should serve as a springboard for renewed motivation to ensure that the movement of a few from our great party does not dampen our collective resolve to lead Nigeria out of her current woes. Based on the foregoing and after wide consultations, I wish to state that I have chosen to remain in ADC and join other nationalists from across every section of the country to pursue our challenging but lofty dream of achieving the noble ideals of our great party for the Nigerian people. I therefore call on our members to remain steadfast. External links Category:1956 births Category:Living people Category:Politicians from Nigeria