Ex-Minister Audu Ogbeh Dies

Audu Ogbeh, the former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, has died. The elder statesman reportedly died on Saturday morning, August 9, at the age of 78.

His death was announced in a statement by the family on the same day, stating that he passed away peacefully in the early hours of the day.

The family explained that his death was announced “with deep sadness”. He was described as a husband, father and grandfather. He was described as a man who passed away peacefully and left behind “a legacy of integrity, service, and dedication” to the community and the country at large

“We are comforted by the many lives he touched and the example he set.”

The family added that the details of his burial arrangement would be communicated to the public at the right time and expressed their appreciation to colleagues, friends and well-wishers for their support and prayers.

Profile of Audu Ogbeh Ogbeh was a prominent politician in Nigeria. He was the PDP chairman from 2001 to 2005 and served as a Minister of Agriculture under the immediate past administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who died barely a month ago.

The late Ogbeh had earlier served as the Federal Minister of Communications between 1982 and 1983 under the administration of Shehu Shagari. In the 70s, he served as the deputy speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly

Ogbeh was the third of Buhari’s allies who have died barely a month after the former president died at a London clinic on Sunday, July 13. The first ally was the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, who died hours after Buhari’s death was announced. The late Adetona was reported to be a longtime friend of the former president.

Their friendship reportedly dated back to the 1980s when the two cemented their relationship under “extraordinary circumstances.” It was learnt that the then-governor of Ogun state, Olabisi Onabanjo, had signed the deposition of the late Awujale, and the directive is expected to be effective on January 2, 1984, but Buhari’s coup on December 31, 1983, sustained the reign of Oba Adetona till his death on Sunday, July 13, 2025.

The second of Buhari’s allies who died barely a month after Buhari’s death was Ibrahim Musa, a former senator from Niger state. Musa was a strong loyalist of the late Buhari.

He was elected under the platform of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), a party under the control of Buhari, which later merged with the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and other political parties to form the present ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).