WARRI/Nigeria: Comrade Mulade Sheriff, PhD, the National Democratic Party (NDP) candidate for Warri Federal Constituency and Coordinator of the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), has mourned former Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, highlighting his contributions to peacebuilding and engagement with civil society in the Niger Delta.
In a condolence statement signed by Comrade Mulade Sheriff on behalf of CEPEJ’s Board of Trustees, management, staff and volunteers, he described Uduaghan’s death as a painful loss to Delta State, the Itsekiri Nation and the wider Niger Delta, noting that the former governor’s years in public service coincided with critical efforts to address insecurity in the oil-producing region.
Sheriff said CEPEJ would remember Uduaghan for his engagement with civil society organisations and youth groups, as well as his reported support for peace advocacy and environmental justice initiatives.
He also recalled the former governor’s involvement in efforts to restore stability in the Niger Delta during the period of militancy, particularly his support for the Presidential Amnesty Programme.
According to Sheriff, the late governor’s experience in managing security challenges and engaging stakeholders remains an important part of the region’s history and its continuing search for sustainable peace and development.
Uduaghan governed Delta State from 2007 to 2015, having previously served as Commissioner for Health and Secretary to the State Government. His administration operated during a period when insecurity, disruptions to oil production and tensions across the Niger Delta remained major concerns for governments and communities in the region.
Sheriff described the former governor as a father figure and elder statesman whose passing would be deeply felt by those who worked with him and those who benefited from his public service.
He extended condolences to Uduaghan’s wife, Deaconess Roli Uduaghan, his children, the wider Uduaghan family, former Governor James Onanefe Ibori, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and the Itsekiri Nation.
The CEPEJ coordinator also expressed sympathy with the people of Delta State and other Nigerians mourning the former governor, praying that God would grant the bereaved family and associates the strength to endure the loss.
He urged the people of the Niger Delta to sustain efforts towards peace, environmental protection and constructive engagement among government institutions, civil society organisations and host communities.
Sheriff prayed for the peaceful repose of Uduaghan’s soul, describing his death as the end of a significant chapter in Delta State’s political history.
