By Abdul Lauya
Nigeria has lost one of its most respected political figures, Chief Audu Innocent Ogbeh, a former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He died peacefully on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at the age of 78, his family announced.
Born on July 28, 1947, in Otukpo, Benue State, Ogbeh was a farmer, writer, and seasoned politician whose career spanned more than four decades.
Educated at Ahmadu Bello University and the University of Toulouse, France, he first rose to national prominence in the Second Republic as Minister of Communications (1982–1983).
In 2001, he became the National Chairman of the PDP, where he was noted for his principled stance against corruption and mismanagement.
He resigned in 2005 amid tensions with then-President Olusegun Obasanjo but remained an influential voice in Nigerian politics.
Appointed Minister of Agriculture in 2015 under President Muhammadu Buhari, Ogbeh spearheaded policies to boost local food production, especially rice, and championed rural development initiatives. His tenure marked a renewed push for Nigeria’s agricultural self-reliance.
President Bola Tinubu described Ogbeh as “a nationalist and patriot whose service to Nigeria was marked by integrity and deep commitment to the people.”
Former President Goodluck Jonathan called him “a trusted partner in driving Nigeria’s agricultural renaissance,” While Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia hailed him as “a son of the soil who projected the state positively at the national stage.”
Funeral arrangements will be announced by the family in due course.
