Former Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, is dead. He was aged 71.
Uduaghan died on the morning of Monday, October 19, 2026, according to a statement issued by his family and signed by Toju Anire Uduaghan.
The family announced his death in a statement titled “Announcement of the Passing of His Excellency, Dr Chief Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, CON”, expressing profound grief over the loss of the former governor.
“It is with hearts weighed down by immeasurable grief and profound sorrow that we announce the passing to glory of our beloved Father, Brother, Uncle, and Patriarch, His Excellency, Dr Chief Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, former Governor of Delta State, who departed this world on the morning of 19th October 2026,” the statement read.
The family described his death as a devastating loss, noting that his life and years of public service had touched many people across Delta State and Nigeria.
“His passing has left us devastated. Words can hardly express the depth of our sorrow at the loss of a man who meant so much to our family and whose life and service touched countless others across Delta State and Nigeria,” it added.
The family further described Uduaghan as a source of strength, a father figure, a beloved brother and uncle, and a respected elder whose presence would be deeply missed.
It expressed gratitude to God for his life and contributions to public service, while praying for the repose of his soul and comfort for his family, friends, associates, former colleagues and others mourning his death.
The family did not disclose the cause of death or announce funeral arrangements in the statement.
Uduaghan’s death comes three days before his 72nd birthday.
He was born on October 22, 1954.
The development also comes months after rumours of his death circulated on social media in June, prompting his media aide, Henry Unini, to dismiss the reports.
At the time, Unini insisted that the former governor was alive and receiving medical attention, acknowledging that he had been experiencing health challenges.
“I can tell you for a fact that Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan is alive,” the aide had said while challenging the circulation of unverified reports about the former governor’s condition.
Uduaghan was a medical doctor and politician who governed Delta State from May 29, 2007, to May 29, 2015, completing two four-year terms in office.
He was elected governor in 2007 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), succeeding former Governor James Ibori.
He secured re-election in 2011 for a second term.
Before becoming governor, Uduaghan served in several key positions in the Delta State Government, including Commissioner for Health and Secretary to the State Government.
He was appointed Commissioner for Health in 1999 by Ibori, a position he held until 2003, when he became Secretary to the State Government.
He served in that capacity until his emergence as governor in 2007.
His entry into public service followed a career in medicine. He obtained a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree from the University of Benin and worked in medical facilities in Warri and Benin City before establishing a private medical practice.
He was also involved in the activities of the Nigerian Medical Association before becoming more deeply engaged in public administration and politics.
During his eight-year administration, Uduaghan remained a prominent political figure in the Niger Delta, with his government pursuing human and infrastructural development across the state.
After leaving office in 2015, he continued to participate in politics, particularly in Delta South, where he contested for a senatorial seat in the 2019 general election.
He, however, lost the election to Senator James Manager of the PDP.
Uduaghan’s political affiliations changed over the years.
He left the PDP for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2018 before returning to the PDP in 2020.
In May 2025, he rejoined the APC, with party leaders formally presenting him with his membership card at his residence in Delta State.
In 2022, the former governor had announced his retirement from active politics.
His death marks the end of a political career that spanned several decades and included service as a medical practitioner, Commissioner for Health, Secretary to the State Government and two-term governor of Delta State.
