Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, who governed Delta State for eight years, died on the morning of Monday 19 October 2026, his family announced. He was 71, three days short of his 72nd birthday. The family’s statement, issued by Toju Uduaghan, did not give the cause or place of death.
From doctor to governor
A medical doctor by training, Uduaghan entered government when civilian rule returned in 1999. He served as Delta’s Commissioner for Health from 1999 to 2003 and as Secretary to the State Government from 2003 to 2007 under Governor James Ibori, whom President Bola Tinubu’s condolence message described as his cousin.
He succeeded Ibori as governor in May 2007 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party. The courts annulled that election in 2010, and he won the rerun in January 2011 before securing a full second term later that year. He left office in May 2015, handing over to Ifeanyi Okowa. Among the projects associated with his government is the Asaba International Airport, which opened to commercial flights in 2011.
Tributes
President Bola Tinubu said Uduaghan “was a public servant whose leadership was devoted to Delta State’s development and service to our nation.” Governor Sheriff Oborevwori called him a “detribalised leader” and declared three days of mourning in the state. Other political leaders also paid tribute.
His family described his death as “an immeasurable loss to our family, the people of Delta State, and Nigeria at large.” His daughter, Orode, is the APC’s candidate for the Warri North I state constituency in the 2027 elections.
