FIC REPORT (ABIA STATE) – Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, has expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of two prominent Nigerians, Prof. Gregory Ikechukwu Ibe, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate in the 2023 Abia election, and former Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan.
He described their passing as painful losses to their families, States and the nation.
In separate condolence messages, Governor Otti mourned the late Prof. Ibe, an illustrious Abian and renowned educationist, administrator and philanthropist, as well as Dr. Uduaghan, his friend and brother, whose contributions to Delta State and Nigeria earned him recognition as a medical doctor and statesman.
The Governor said Prof. Ibe’s death was particularly saddening because of his enduring contributions to education and research in Abia State and across the country.
He disclosed that, like many others, he had prayed and hoped that the respected academic and philanthropist would recover from the illness he battled for some time. However, his passing has left a painful void that words alone cannot fill.
While acknowledging the grief of the bereaved family, friends and associates, Governor Otti urged them to draw strength from the late professor’s fulfilled and impactful life.
He encouraged them not to mourn without hope but to find comfort in the values he upheld, the people he inspired and the enduring legacies he left behind.
“We cannot question God,” the Governor stated, urging the family and loved ones to preserve Prof. Ibe’s worthy virtues and contributions to humanity.
Similarly, Governor Otti described the death of Dr. Uduaghan, whose passing was announced on Monday, October 19, 2026, as painful and devastating.
He recalled the former Delta State Governor as an accomplished medical doctor, an illustrious son of Delta State and a statesman who used the opportunity of public leadership to positively impact his people and contribute to Nigeria’s development.
According to Otti, Dr. Uduaghan’s years of service reflected a commitment to the progress of Delta State and the advancement of the nation.
The Abia Governor further revealed that although his late friend had been ill for some time, he had continued to pray and hope for his recovery. His eventual death, he said, was a painful reminder of the limits of human expectations in the face of mortality.
Governor Otti urged the Uduaghan family to take solace in the former governor’s eventful life and the positive difference he made in the lives of others, rather than allow grief to overshadow the enduring value of his contributions.
In both condolence messages, Governor Otti, on behalf of his family, the government and people of Abia State, extended his heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families, friends and associates, as well as the governments and people of Abia and Delta States.
He prayed that God would comfort all those affected by the losses and grant the departed eternal rest.
The deaths of the two prominent figures have brought renewed attention to their respective contributions to public life, education, philanthropy and governance, leaving behind legacies that their families, associates and communities will continue to remember.
Abiakam Gloria Ify
HOC FIC Umuahia Abia State.
October 20, 2026
