Former Abia State Governor and ex-Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, has passed away at the age of 72. Sources close to the deceased confirmed that he died after a brief illness in an Abuja hospital on Thursday, April 11.
Onu, hailing from Uburu in the Ohaozara local government area of Ebonyi State, had a prominent political career, serving as the first civilian governor of Abia State and later as a minister under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Notably, he contested for the presidential flag of the All Progressive Congress (APC) during the 2023 general election but was unsuccessful, losing to President Bola Tinubu. Onu’s contributions extended beyond politics; he was an author and engineer.
Until his resignation in 2022, he held the position of Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, making him the longest-serving minister in that capacity.
As of this report, neither his family nor the Ebonyi State government has issued an official statement regarding his demise.
