Former Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, is dead, multiple sources close to his family have disclosed. According to sources, he was aged 71.
A family member, who confirmed his death to Channels Television, said Uduaghan died on the morning of Monday, October 19, 2026, in a hospital in Abuja, after a period of illness.
He described the former governor’s passing as a devastating loss to the family and all those whose lives he touched.
Uduaghan, a medical doctor by profession, held several public offices in Delta State before becoming governor.
He served as Commissioner for Health from 1999 to 2003 and later as Secretary to the State Government from 2003 to 2007, before succeeding James Ibori as governor.
He served as Delta State’s governor for two terms, from 2007 to 2015.
Uduaghan continued to be involved in Delta State and national politics after leaving office.
The Delta State Government has not yet released an official statement regarding his passing at the time this news was filed.
Sheriff Oborevwori, the governor of Delta State, has expressed sorrow over Uduaghan’s passing and called him a detribalized leader whose contributions to the state’s advancement will never be forgotten.
Oborevwori Reacts
The governor expressed his condolences to the late governor’s wife, Roli, his children, the Uduaghan family, the Itsekiri nation, and the people of Delta State in a message sent by his Chief Press Secretary, Festus Ahon.
Recalling Uduaghan’s years in power, Oborevwori noted that he worked toward the state’s total growth, regardless of ethnic divisions, and made major contributions to the building of infrastructure.
The governor stated that the former governor’s years of public service had left a lasting impression on Delta State and that both the state and the nation as a whole were saddened by his passing.
Peter Obi mourns Emmanuel Uduaghan
Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), expressed his sorrow on the passing of Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, the former governor of Delta State, calling him a beloved older brother.
Obi reminisced about his friendly friendship with the late former governor during their time in public service in a condolence statement sent on Tuesday via his X handle.
He wrote in part “Goodbye, Uduaghan. I am deeply saddened by the passing of my very dear elder brother, His Excellency, Dr Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, former Governor of Delta State. In my interactions with him, he treated me like his junior brother.
“I recall with fondness the cordial working relationship I enjoyed with him during our time in public service.”
