Obasanjo mourns Audu Ogbeh, hails his lifelong service to Nigeria

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed deep sorrow over the death of Chief Audu Ogbeh, a former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and one-time National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Ogbeh, who passed away on Saturday at the age of 78, was remembered by Obasanjo as a peace-loving and dedicated patriot with an unwavering belief in democracy and participatory governance.

In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, Obasanjo—currently on a visit to Uganda—described Ogbeh’s political journey as one that spanned both the military era and Nigeria’s democratic dispensation.

“From serving as Deputy Speaker in the Plateau House of Assembly in the 1970s, to his tenure as Minister of Communications between 1982 and 1983, National Chairman of the PDP from 2001 to 2005, and Minister of Agriculture and Food Security from 2015 to 2019, Ogbeh consistently demonstrated his faith in the prospects of participatory politics,” Obasanjo said.

He noted that Ogbeh built an enduring legacy of goodwill and respect as both a political leader and a community figure, making notable contributions to Nigeria’s democratic development.

According to the former president, Ogbeh’s absence will be deeply felt within his community, his state, his party, and the country at large.

“May God console his wife, family, and loved ones, and grant his soul eternal rest,” Obasanjo added.