President Bola Tinubu has described the death of a former governor of Delta State, Emmanuel Uduaghan, as a great loss to his family, his community, Delta State, and the nation at large.
Uduaghan, who served as governor between 2007 and 2015, died on Monday at age 71, according to a statement from his family.
In a condolence message he personally signed, President Tinubu described the deceased as “a public servant whose leadership was devoted to Delta State’s development and service to our nation.”
He said that while Mr Uduaghan served as commissioner, secretary to the state government and governor, he pursued developmental strides to improve infrastructure, healthcare delivery, and the overall welfare of Deltans.
President Tinubu urged the people of Delta State to draw strength from the late governor’s years of service and the enduring relationships he built across the political and social terrain of our country.
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has also expressed deep sorrow over the death of the former governor.
In a statement on Monday, NGF’s Director, Media and Strategic Communications, Yunusa Abdullahi, quoted the forum’s Chairman and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, as saying the deceased was involved in advancing his state’s development priorities and public administration while he was in office.
Similarly, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has mourned the death of former Delta State Governor, commending his contributions to dialogue, confidence-building and national unity during a period of heightened political tension in the country.
CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, in a statement, expressed the association’s condolences to Uduaghan’s family, the Delta State Government and the people of the state.
Okoh said the association received the news of the former governor’s death with sadness, noting that his contributions to public service and nation-building would be remembered by those who valued his work.
Ex-governor Uduaghan died just three days before his 72nd birthday.
His family announced his death in a statement signed by his son, Toju Anire Uduaghan, on Monday.
The statement said the former governor died on the morning of Monday, describing his passing as a painful loss to the family and the people of Delta State.
“It is with hearts weighed down by immeasurable grief and profound sorrow that we announce the passing to glory of our beloved Father, Brother, Uncle, and Patriarch, His Excellency, Dr. Chief Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, former Governor of Delta State, who departed this world on the morning of 19th October 2026,” the family said.
The family described Uduaghan as a source of strength and a respected elder whose life and public service touched many people across Delta State and Nigeria.
“His passing has left us devastated. Words can hardly express the depth of our sorrow at the loss of a man who meant so much to our family and whose life and service touched countless others across Delta State and Nigeria,” the statement added.
Uduaghan held several public offices in Delta State before becoming governor. He served as Commissioner for Health from 1999 to 2003 and as Secretary to the State Government from 2003 to 2007.
He was elected governor in 2007 and served until 2015.
The family said his years in public service were marked by a commitment to the human and infrastructural development of the state.
It described his death as a profound loss to his relatives, the people of Delta State and Nigeria, while expressing gratitude to God for his life and legacy.
