Vice President Kashim Shettima on Monday led a Federal Government delegation to pay a condolence visit to the family of the late former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh.
Ogbeh, who served as National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) between 2001 and 2005, died last Saturday at the age of 78.
Shettima described him as one of Nigeria’s most visionary leaders, noting that his contributions to food security would remain indelibly etched in the nation’s development history.
“The passing of the elder statesman is an irreparable loss to Nigeria’s agricultural transformation drive and national development trajectory,” Shettima said.
According to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, the vice president conveyed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s condolences to Ogbeh’s family, the government, and the people of Benue State.
“We have not just lost a former minister; we have lost an irreplaceable institution whose vision and pragmatic approach to agricultural development transformed the landscape of our farming communities,” Shettima stated.
He hailed Ogbeh as a transformational leader whose impact transcended political affiliations and regional boundaries, providing a blueprint for sustainable agricultural development in Nigeria.
Shettima also commended Ogbeh’s integrity, dedication, and commitment to rural development, stressing that millions of farming households benefited from his initiatives and vision.
“He was a committed advocate of agricultural transformation who endeared himself to many with his wisdom, pragmatism, and genuine concern for the well-being of farming families. His demise represents a collective loss to our entire agricultural ecosystem,” the vice president added.
