Audu Ogbeh

Audu Ogbeh
Taken in 2016
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
In office 11 November 2015 – 28 May 2019
President	Muhammadu Buhari
Minister of State	Heineken Lokpobiri
Preceded by	Akinwumi Adesina
Succeeded by	Sabo Nanono
National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party
In office 2001–2005
Preceded by	Barnabas Gemade
Succeeded by	Ahmadu Ali
Federal Minister of Communications
In office 1982–1983
President	Shehu Shagari
Personal details
Born	Audu Innocent Ogbeh (1947-07-28) 28 July 1947 Otukpo, Northern Region, British Nigeria (now in Benue State, Nigeria)
Political party	All Progressives Congress (2015–present)
Other political affiliations	National Party of Nigeria (1979–1983) Peoples Democratic Party (1998–2005)
Spouse	married 1975
Children	5, including Ogwa Iweze
Alma mater	King's College, Lagos Ahmadu Bello University University of Toulouse
Occupation	Politician farmer playwright

Audu Innocent Ogbeh ((); born 28 July 1947) is a Nigerian farmer, playwright and politician who served as the minister of agriculture and rural development from 2015 to 2019. He was chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from 2001 until January 2005. He served as the minister of communications in the Nigerian Second Republic from 1982 to 1983. He is known for his literary works, and has written five plays which include three published works. One of his plays, the Epitaph of Simon Kisulu was staged at Muson Center in 2002.

Background

Ogbeh was born on 28 July 1947, in present day Benue State. He is of Idoma background. He attended King's College, Lagos from 1967 to 1969, then studied at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria from 1969 to 1972 and the University of Toulouse, France from 1973 to 1974. He lectured at the Institute of Education, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria from 1972 to 1976, and headed the department of humanities, Murtala College of Arts, Science and Technology from 1977 to 1979.

Political career

In 1979, he ran for office in the Benue State House of Assembly on the Platform of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), becoming deputy speaker of the house. In 1982, he was appointed Federal Minister of Communications, and later became Minister of Steel Development. His term of office ended in December 1983, when a military coup brought Major-General Muhammadu Buhari to power.

In 2001, he was appointed National Chairman of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), replacing Chief Barnabas Gemade. He held this position until January 2005, when he was forced to resign due to his criticism of President Olusegun Obasanjo's handling of a crisis in Anambra State. Talking to reporters, however, Ogbeh claimed that he resigned only to avoid conflict within the party, and due to a desire to return to farming.

Later career

In December 2005, Ogbeh formally resigned from the PDP. As of 2009, he was chairman and managing director, Efugo Farms, Makurdi, and a member of Eisenhower Exchange Fellowships Incorporated, based in Philadelphia, United States of America.