FELIX MORKA: The Voice, The Facts And The Defence Of A Great Political Movement

By Olokor Michael
Public Affairs Commentator and Development Advocate
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In the contemporary political landscape of Nigeria, where public communication has become one of the most important instruments of political engagement, few personalities have distinguished themselves in the art of political advocacy and communication like Barrister Felix Morka, CON, the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC. A lawyer, human rights advocate, urban development specialist and politician, Morka has become one of the most recognisable public faces of the governing party. He is a man who understands that defending a political party is not merely about speaking loudly, but about presenting arguments, explaining policies, confronting criticisms and taking the message of the party to Nigerians with confidence and intellectual depth. The APC itself describes him as a human rights lawyer, urban development expert and politician, while noting that he holds an LL.B. from the University of Jos and an LL.M. from Harvard Law School.

Felix Morka’s background makes his emergence as a powerful political communicator particularly significant. Before entering partisan politics, he built an extensive record in human rights and civil society advocacy. He was associated with the Civil Liberties Organisation and founded the Social and Economic Rights Action Center, SERAC, an organisation known for its work around social and economic rights. His professional experience also extended into international human rights engagements, including work connected with United Nations initiatives. His academic and professional training gave him a combination that is particularly useful in public affairs: the discipline of a lawyer, the analytical mind of a development specialist and the experience of a civil society advocate.

When Barrister Felix Morka emerged as National Publicity Secretary of the APC at the party’s 2022 national convention, he inherited one of the most demanding communication responsibilities in Nigerian politics. The National Publicity Secretary is effectively the public voice of the party, expected to communicate the party’s position on national issues, respond to criticisms, explain political developments and represent the organisation before the Nigerian public and the international community. Morka has occupied that space with remarkable visibility. Contemporary reports from the 2022 convention identified him as the APC’s National Publicity Secretary, and the party’s current official records continue to list him in that position.

What makes Morka particularly striking is his ability to operate under pressure. Political communication is rarely conducted in a friendly environment. The opposition attacks, journalists ask difficult questions, citizens demand explanations and national issues can change within hours. Yet Morka has repeatedly appeared on television and in major media platforms to articulate the position of the APC. His approach is often vigorous, direct and heavily argumentative. He does not merely repeat slogans; he attempts to construct a case for the party’s position. That is why his appearances on national television have made him a familiar face to Nigerians who follow political programmes and current affairs. His public engagements have covered some of the most contentious questions surrounding the APC, the Tinubu administration and the country’s political direction.

There is also an important dimension to Morka’s communication style: preparation. A man with a legal background naturally understands the importance of facts, evidence and the construction of an argument. His defenders see this as one of his greatest strengths. When confronted with criticism of the APC, he is usually prepared to engage the substance of the argument rather than retreat from the discussion. Whether discussing the economy, governance, opposition politics, electoral matters or the prospects of the APC ahead of 2027, Morka has consistently projected himself as a spokesman prepared to defend the political platform he represents. In a 2026 interview, for example, he addressed questions concerning the 2027 presidential contest, opposition figures and the performance and prospects of the APC, demonstrating once again the central role he plays in shaping the party’s public narrative.

Morka’s recognition has not been limited to party circles. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a 2026 birthday message, described him as a human rights advocate with extensive civil society experience and commended the strategic communication experience he brings to the interpretation and explanation of the APC manifesto. The President also praised the maturity and wisdom Morka brings to his role and his contribution to internal and external communication. In an earlier birthday message in 2024, the Presidency described him as a human rights lawyer, urban development specialist and founder of SERAC, while commending the brilliance and poise he brings to critical issues.

Beyond his role as APC spokesman, Morka has also occupied a significant national institutional position as Chairman of the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA. That responsibility places him within the broader architecture of Nigeria’s media and public communication environment. It is therefore not surprising that he has become so comfortable in the television space. His ability to communicate complex political positions in an environment where questions are often spontaneous and confrontational has helped establish him as one of the country’s most visible political spokesmen.

His story is also one of transition. From human rights advocacy and civil society activism to partisan politics and national political communication, Felix Morka has travelled through different dimensions of public service. Some may disagree with his political positions, as is normal in a democracy, but disagreement with a politician’s ideology should not prevent society from recognising professional competence. Morka represents a generation of Nigerians who have moved from civil society engagement into formal political structures, carrying with them knowledge of law, governance, development and public advocacy.

For me, Barrister Felix Morka, CON, represents something larger than the title of National Publicity Secretary. He represents the importance of having people who can stand before cameras, enter difficult conversations and defend a political position without fear. In an era when political communication can easily descend into insults, misinformation and emotional exchanges, the presence of a trained lawyer and experienced public affairs practitioner at the microphone is significant. His strength is not simply in his willingness to defend the APC, but in his capacity to place arguments around the defence.

His conferment with the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger, CON, in 2025 further added to a career that has already crossed human rights advocacy, development work, media communication and partisan politics. The honour, coming after decades of public engagement, provides another chapter in the story of a man whose professional journey has taken him from advocacy for civil liberties to the centre of national political communication.

Barrister Felix Morka is, therefore, a man whose public career deserves serious attention. He is a lawyer who understands argument, an advocate who understands public communication, a development specialist who understands policy and a politician who understands the importance of defending his organisation. On television, at press briefings, in interviews and through public statements, he has become one of the voices through which Nigerians encounter the APC’s response to the issues of the day. Whether one agrees with every position he takes is a matter for individual political judgment. What is difficult to ignore, however, is the energy, confidence and intellectual preparation he brings to the national conversation.

At a time when Nigeria needs articulate voices capable of engaging national issues with knowledge, confidence and responsibility, Felix Morka has established himself as a major figure in the country’s political communication space. He has carried the APC’s message from the party secretariat to television studios, newspapers, national debates and international conversations. For his supporters, he is more than a party spokesman; he is a vigorous defender of the political movement he represents and a proud son of Nigeria whose professional journey has earned him recognition at home and abroad. Barrister Felix Morka, CON, has indeed become a voice that does not retreat when the questions become difficult, a voice that answers with facts and a voice that continues to defend what he believes in.

Minister Directs Immediate Arrest of Any Contractor Who Removes Asphalt From an Existing Carriageway: Benin-Asaba highway

Minister, Stakeholders Chide Concessionaire on the Benin-Asaba highway, promises succour to road Users, Directs the Immediate arrest of any contractor who removes Asphalt from an existing carriageway.
Eereporter.com

Arising from the sufferings of road users and the host communities on the Benin-Asaba Highway, occasioned by ongoing
reconstruction and expansion works, the Honourable Minister of Works, Sen. Engr. David Umahi, CON, FNSE, FNATE, undertook an on-the-spot assessment visit to the affected areas of the project on Tuesday, 25 August, 2026. To underscore the importance of alleviating the negative impact of the ongoing works, the Minister was accompanied by the Members of the National Assembly’s Committees on Works, the Governor of Edo State, Senior Special Assistants to the President (SSA-P) on Community Engagement, South South, South East and North Central Zones, the Managing Director/CEO of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC), and representatives of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).

Engr. Umahi chided the Concessionaire, the Benin–Asaba Expressway Concession Company Limited (BAECC), for unprofessional conduct and slow pace despite several warnings from the Independent Engineer to the Project, Messrs Yolas Consultants Limited, and officials from the Ministry. “You are not adhering to engineering best practices in road construction and your methodology is adversely impacting road users, host neighborhoods and the pace of work,” declared the Minister.

The Benin–Asaba Highway is a strategic Federal Highway that commences from AIF Roundabout in Benin City, Edo State, and terminates at Summit Junction in Asaba, Delta State, with a distance of 125 kilometres. The alignment provides an important link between the South-East, South-South, and parts of the South-West zones of Nigeria, connecting major economic centres and facilitating passenger and freight movement, commercial activities, and regional connectivity. It is one of the pilot corridors under the Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI), Phase I, being implemented through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement. The HDMI is intended to leverage private-sector investment and technical expertise for the sustainable development, operation, and management of Federal Highways, outside the Federal Government’s balance sheet, thereby freeing up funds for other developmental projects.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC), on 16 January, 2023, approved the concession of the Benin–Asaba Highway, on a Design, Finance, Build, Operate and Transfer (DFBOT) basis for a concession period of twenty-five (25) years, inclusive of a three (3)-year construction period. Consequently, the Concession Agreement was executed on 23rd May, 2023, between the Ministry and the incorporated Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), BAECC. However, by late 2023, macroeconomic volatility, inflationary pressures, and rising financing costs necessitated an Addendum to the Concession Agreement.

A comprehensive review of the project
was undertaken by the Ministry, in collaboration with the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Federal Ministry of Finance (FMoF), Federal Ministry of Justice (FMoJ), Debt Management Office (DMO), Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Federal Ministry of Environment (FMEnv), and the Concessionaire.

Following the review, the project was formally handed over to the Concessionaire on 23 March, 2025. A Commencement Order was subsequently issued, establishing a thirty-six (36) month completion period for the construction phase effective from 8 April, 2025 to 8 April, 2028.
Since the commencement of the project, the Ministry has carried out several technical engagements and issued directives to support and ensure its effective delivery.

These include the Honourable Minister’s site inspection in October, 2025, the Project Delivery Team’s (PDT) site inspections in January and May, 2026, as well as meetings convened between the officials of the Ministry, BAECC, and the Independent Engineer from 21st to 22nd July, 2026. During these engagements with the Concessionaire, it became evident that the project was not being executed as intended, largely due to shortcomings on the part of the Concessionaire, and the Concessionaire was directed to make immediate amends.

Explaining the slow progression of the project, the Managing Director/CEO of BAECC, Mr. Samuel Daramola attributed it to a high volume of traffic on the alignment, being one of the most trafficked routes in the country, and heavy torrential rains, the corridor experiences double rainfall maxima, which the Minister classified as mere “unprofessional and untenable excuses.”

The Minister apologised to Nigerians for the untold stories being experienced on the corridor. He also rebuked the Concessionaire for tampering with the asphalt on the smooth portions of the Highway, thereby destroying the already stabilised sub-structure. He, therefore, directed all Federal Controllers of Works and Engineering Representatives to, henceforth, arrest any contractor who, completely, removes the asphalt from an existing road.

As a proactive measure to ensure the smooth flow of traffic on the critically bad portions of the Highway, Engr. Umahi disclosed that a competent contractor would be immediately engaged to remedy them, guaranteeing road users and the host communities that His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, GCFR feels their pains.

In their addresses during the visit, the Chairmen, Senate and House Committees on Works, Sen. Allwell Onyesoh and Hon. Akin Alabi, respectively, empathised with road users and the host communities, described what they witnessed as “an unacceptable disaster,” and promised a holistic nationwide review of Concession Agreements with a view to ensuring strict compliance with their terms.

Also speaking, the SSA-P, Community Engagement, South South Zone, Mrs. Gift Johnbull assured the people that the President is aware of their plights and has directed that a lasting solution be found to ameliorate them.

The Edo State Governor, His Excellency Sen. Monday Okpebholo assured the good people of Edo State and motorists that a solution has been found by the Minister to solve the problem, once and for all, while appealing for more patience from them as the work progresses.

Benin-Agbor-Asaba

A follow-up meeting involving all parties to the project is slated for today, Wednesday, 26 August, 2026 at the Edo State Government House.

The Visitation Team also inspected ongoing
Reconstruction of 23-Kilometre Failed Sections of Benin-Sapele-Warri Road on Continuous Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP) being undertaken by the Edo State Government, on behalf of the Federal Government. The Minister, having been informed that 75% of the project has been achieved, expressed satisfaction with the quality and speed of the work carried out by Messrs CBC Global Civil and Building Construction (Nig.) Limited.

Also inspected was the ongoing Reconstruction of a 10-Kilometre Stretch on the Benin-Sapele-Warri Road, Section I, Phase 2, again undertaken by the State Government, on behalf of the Federal Government, and being executed by Messrs CCECC (Nigeria) Limited. About 25% of the work has been completed and it is progressing smoothly on CRCP.

As an interventionist entity, the Managing Director/CEO of NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku promised to reconstruct a critically failed 15.4-kilometre stretch between Edo and Delta States’ border on the Benin-Sapele Road. The Minister thanked him for the kind gesture, directing his team and that of the Commission to work together on the modalities of the project.

Mohammed A. Ahmed,
Director, Information and Public Relations.
26 August, 2026.
Eereporter.com

2027: Kankia Takes Legal Command Role in APC Presidential Campaign

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has deployed the legal expertise of its National Legal Adviser, Barrister Murtala Aliyu Kankia, to its 2027 presidential campaign machinery, appointing him Secretary, Legal, in the newly constituted Presidential Campaign Council.
Kankia’s appointment places the party’s chief legal officer at the heart of its preparations for the 2027 general elections, as the ruling party moves to strengthen its political, legal, mobilisation, communications and security structures ahead of the presidential contest.
As Secretary, Legal, Kankia is expected to coordinate legal affairs within the campaign council and provide strategic advice on issues ranging from electoral compliance and campaign regulations to political advertising, disputes and other legal matters that may arise during the electioneering period.
His appointment is particularly significant because he simultaneously serves as the APC’s National Legal Adviser, creating a direct link between the party’s institutional legal structure and its presidential campaign apparatus.
The arrangement is expected to enable the campaign to draw on the party’s existing legal knowledge while developing coordinated responses to potential electoral and litigation-related challenges across the country.
The APC presidential campaign is expected to operate across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, requiring legal coordination for rallies, political engagements, grassroots mobilisation and other campaign activities.
Beyond providing routine legal advice, Kankia’s responsibilities could include helping campaign officials anticipate legal risks, ensuring compliance with relevant electoral laws and coordinating responses to disputes that may emerge before, during and after the election.
His role could become particularly important in the post-election period, when electoral petitions and litigation traditionally form a significant part of Nigeria’s political contests.
The appointment comes as the APC restructures its presidential campaign machinery ahead of the 2027 election.
Former Zamfara State Governor and Senator, Abdulaziz Yari, has been named Director-General of the campaign council, while other senior party figures have been assigned responsibilities across various operational departments.
The emerging structure reflects an attempt by the ruling party to establish a campaign architecture covering key areas including legal affairs, political mobilisation, security, intelligence and communications.
The APC’s legal desk is therefore expected to serve as a critical component of the campaign’s central command, particularly as political activities intensify nationwide.
For the ruling party, having its National Legal Adviser directly embedded in the presidential campaign structure could provide an additional layer of legal preparedness as it faces what is expected to be a fiercely contested election.
The 2027 contest is likely to generate legal questions surrounding campaign activities, party procedures, electoral regulations, voting processes and the declaration of results.
Kankia’s dual responsibilities could therefore position him as a key link between the APC’s national leadership, the presidential campaign council and legal teams operating across the country.
The development also highlights the increasingly strategic role of legal expertise in modern election campaigns, where political mobilisation is accompanied by legal, data, communications and rapid-response operations.
With the APC already assembling its campaign structures, Kankia’s appointment signals the party’s determination to put its legal machinery in place well ahead of the presidential contest.
For Kankia, the assignment extends his responsibilities beyond the APC national secretariat to the frontline of the party’s presidential campaign, where legal strategy is expected to play a major role in the party’s efforts to secure victory in 2027.