Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has mourned former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and the National chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Audu Ogbeh, who died on Saturday at the age of 78.

Obasanjo who is in Uganda on a visit, described the late Minister as a peace-loving, unassuming , committed patriot and a firm believer in democracy and participatory governance.

In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, Obasanjo said the former PDP leader was “a man whose political career stretched from the military era through the present democratic dispensation.”

Obasanjo said the late politician’s place will be very difficult to fill within his community, the State, the party and the nation.

“To this extent, he was the Deputy Speaker in Plateau House of Assembly in the 70s, Minister of Communications 1982-1983, Chairman of Peoples Democratic Republic of Nigeria (PDP) 2001-2005 and Minister of Agriculture and Food Security 2015-2019. All of these serve as evidence of his faith in the prospects of participatory politics.

” Ever since, he built for himself, an impressive profile of immense goodwill and affection among his people, as a frontline politician and community leader.

“Chief Audu Ogbeh will be missed for his unwavering commitment to politics, governance and democracy as he made significant contributions to the re-establishment of democracy in Nigeria. His place will be very difficult to fill within his community, the State, the Party and the nation.

“May God console his wife and the entire family. May his soul rest in perfect peace.” (Weekend Trust)