The first civilian governor of Abia State, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, has passed on at the age of 72 after a brief illness.
Sources say the one-time minister of science, technology and innovation died on Thursday morning in an undisclosed hospital in Abuja.
The distinguished scientist and educator was among the aspirants who contested for the presidential ticket of All Progressives Congress (APC) against incumbent President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2023 general elections.
He was the minister of science, technology and innovation from November 2015 until his resignation in 2022.
He served as a lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt before transitioning to national politics during the aborted civilian rule transition under President Ibrahim Babangida in the early 1990s.
However, his tenure as governor was shortlived following the military overthrow of the administration of Ernest Shonekan led by General Sani Abacha in 1994.
