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ASABA, DELTA STATE — The Delta Unity Group (DUG) has expressed deep shock and profound sorrow following the passing of His Excellency Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, CON, former Governor of Delta State, who died in the early hours of Monday, October 19, 2026.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Sir Sunny Areh, the group described Dr. Uduaghan’s transition as “not just the loss of a former Governor; it is the exit of a unifier.”

The former governor, who led Delta State from 2007 to 2015, was celebrated by the group as a leader who transcended ethnic boundaries. “Dr. Uduaghan was Delta in its truest essence: An Itsekiri by birth, Urhobo by adoption, Isoko by bond, Anioma by love and Ijaw by service,” the statement read. “In a state often divided by ethnic fault lines, he lived and led as a bridge. He belonged to all of us, and all of us belonged to him.”

The DUG highlighted Dr. Uduaghan’s background as a medical doctor, noting that he “came into governance not as a politician seeking power, but as a Doctor seeking to heal.” His career spanned from his time at the Delta Steel Company Hospital to his role as Commissioner for Health, where he was credited with revolutionizing primary healthcare, and later as Secretary to the State Government.

As governor, his “Delta Beyond Oil” vision was praised as a deliberate attempt to cure the state’s mono-economy dependency. The group also cited his investments in human capital, peace and security, rural clinics, and schools, as well as his “defining policy of finishing strong,” as indelible footprints across the state.

” He was a gentleman in an era of brashness. A man who never raised his voice, but whose quiet decisions spoke volumes. A leader who believed power should be used to reconcile, not to divide,” the DUG stated.

The group extended condolences to the former governor’s wife, Deaconess Roli Uduaghan, his children, Orode and Toju, and the entire Uduaghan family of Abigborodo. Tributes were also paid to the Itsekiri Nation, the Government and people of Delta State, and to the group’s national leader, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, who the DUG said “has lost an elder brother, a confidant and a faithful lieutenant.”

” No one exemplified those three virtues better than Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan. He was loyal to his leader, loyal to his people, and loyal to Delta State till his last breath,” the statement continued. “He has finished his race. He has kept his faith.”

The Delta Unity Group concluded by praying for the repose of his soul, bidding farewell to “the Doctor-Governor” and “the gentle giant of Delta politics.”