Audu Innocent Ogbeh, (born 28 July, 1947) is a Nigerian politician, who served as the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from 2001 till 2005. He is currently the Minister of Agriculture of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Chief Ogbeh is also known for his literary works. He has written five plays which include three published works. One of his plays, the Epitaph of Simon Kisulu, was staged at the MUSON Center, in Lagos in 2002.
The activist politician, who is of Idoma background in Benue state, attended King’s College, Lagos (1967 – 1968), before studying at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1969 – 1972) and the University of Toulouse, France (1973 – 1974). He lectured at the Institute of Education, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1972 – 1976) and headed the Department of Humanities, Murtala College of Arts, Science and Technology (1977 – 1979).
In 1979, he ran to become a member of the Benue State House of Assembly on the platform of the National Party of Nigeria, NPN and became deputy speaker of the house. In 1982, he was appointed Federal Minister of Communications, and later shifted to the Ministry 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 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. However, Chief Ogbeh said that he resigned in order to avoid conflict within the party, and due to his desire to return to farming.
In December 2005, Ogbeh formally resigned from the PDP and was generally seen as an accomplished statesman. He is a notable farm owner and manager, having been Chairman and Managing Director, Efugo Farms, Makurdi, and a member of Eisenhower Exchange Fellowships Incorporated, based in Philadelphia, United States of America.
