By Asaye Bankole
Former Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, has reportedly died, according to sources close to his family, D Chronicle Media reported on Monday, October 19, 2026.
The report said the sources confirmed his death but did not provide details about the circumstances surrounding it. Further information was still being awaited as of the time of filing this report.
The reported development comes months after similar claims about Uduaghan’s death circulated on social media, prompting his media aide, Henry Unini, to publicly dismiss the reports.
In June, messages claiming that the former governor had died spread across Facebook and WhatsApp, raising concerns among residents and political stakeholders in Delta State.
Unini subsequently debunked the reports, insisting that Uduaghan was alive and receiving medical attention.
“I can tell you for a fact that Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan is alive,” the aide said at the time.
He criticised the publication of unverified death reports, arguing that sensitive information of that nature should be confirmed before being made public.
Unini also referred to an incident involving the late Nigerian nationalist, Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe, who reportedly heard an announcement of his own death and questioned why the information had not been verified with the appropriate sources.
Although he acknowledged that Uduaghan had been experiencing health challenges, the media aide maintained that the former governor was receiving proper medical care and was recuperating.
“It is now common knowledge that Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan has been sick, but he is receiving proper medical care,” he said.
He further reassured the public that there was no immediate cause for alarm over the former governor’s condition.
The aide also expressed appreciation to friends, political associates and other well-wishers who contacted the family to confirm the former governor’s health status.
He urged the public to continue praying for Uduaghan and his family while appealing to social media users to avoid spreading unverified information.
Uduaghan served as governor of Delta State from 2007 to 2015 and was one of the state’s prominent political figures during his time in office.
His administration covered eight years of governance in the oil-producing state, which plays a significant role in Nigeria’s petroleum industry.
As of the time of filing this report, further details about the reported death had not been provided in the source report.
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