By Former Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, died at 71.
His family announced the death on Monday in a statement signed by his son, Toju Anire Uduaghan. The statement said he died on the morning of October 19, 2026. The family called the loss devastating and remembered him as a father figure, brother, uncle, patriarch and respected elder whose life and service touched many people across Delta State and Nigeria.
The Delta State Government has also confirmed the death.
Governor’s reaction
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori said he was saddened by the news and described Uduaghan as a “detribalised leader” whose contributions to the state’s development would not be forgotten. In a message issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Festus Ahon, the governor noted the late former governor’s work on infrastructure and called his death a loss to Delta State and the country.
Oborevwori sympathised with Uduaghan’s wife, Roli, his children and the wider family, as well as the Itsekiri nation and the people of Delta State.
Career
Uduaghan was a medical doctor by profession and began work in 1983 as a medical officer at the Delta Steel Company. He later moved into public service, serving as Commissioner for Health from 1999 to 2003 and as Secretary to the State Government from 2003 to 2007.
He became governor on May 29, 2007, succeeding James Ibori on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He won a second term in 2011 and left office in May 2015. His administration pursued human and infrastructural development, with a focus on healthcare, infrastructure and economic development.
Party movements
Uduaghan governed Delta State for eight years under the PDP. In August 2018, he announced his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC). He said he was impressed by the Muhammadu Buhari administration’s engagement approach to the crisis in the Niger Delta, rather than the use of force.
Under the APC, he ran for the Delta South Senate seat in 2019 and lost to the incumbent, James Manager of the PDP.
On September 28, 2020, he returned to the PDP in his hometown of Abigborodo in Warri North Local Government Area. He announced the move in a post, saying he was back home to help strengthen the party.
In March 2022, he announced his retirement from politics and called for bigger roles for traditional rulers. He did not stay away for good. In May 2025, he rejoined the APC, with party leaders presenting him with his membership card at his residence in Delta State.
His later years brought a lower profile than his time as governor, although he remained a significant figure in the state’s political establishment.
Earlier rumour
His death comes months after reports of his passing circulated on social media in June, which the Delta State Government dismissed at the time.
Uduaghan was born on October 22, 1954, and would have turned 72 three days after his death.
This is a developing story.
