Former Agriculture Minister Audu Ogbeh dies at 78

Former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has passed away at the age of 78. His family announced that he died peacefully on Saturday, August 9, 2025.

Ogbeh, who served as National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from 2001 to 2005, was a prominent political figure whose influence extended far beyond his native Benue State. He began his political journey as Deputy Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly from 1979 to 1982 and later served as Minister of Agriculture from November 2015 to May 2019 under the first term of the late President Muhammadu Buhari.

Known for his frank views, Ogbeh was often unsparing in his criticism of government policies, even while in office. In his final interview with Channels Television in March 2025, he urged President Bola Tinubu to pursue dialogue rather than impose a state of emergency in Rivers State, warning of the risks of unrest in the oil-rich Niger Delta.

“Rivers State is bigger than any individual… Nobody wants a crisis in the Niger Delta,” he said at the time.

Tributes Pour In
President Bola Tinubu, in a condolence statement on Saturday, praised Ogbeh’s “intellectual contributions to policy formulation and his articulation of practical solutions to complex national challenges.”

“Chief Audu Ogbeh was a patriot whose wisdom, dedication, and pursuit of progress left an indelible mark on Nigeria’s political landscape. The nation will sorely miss his insightful perspectives and wealth of experience,” Tinubu said in a message issued by his Special Adviser, Bayo Onanuga.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo described Ogbeh as “a peace-loving, unassuming, committed patriot and a firm believer in democracy and participatory governance,” noting that his political career spanned both the military and democratic eras.

“His place will be very difficult to fill within his community, the state, the party, and the nation,” Obasanjo said.

Funeral arrangements will be announced by the family in due course.