Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State is in shock to hear about the death of the former Governor of old Abia State and one time Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu.

Dr. Onu was confirmed dead at an undisclosed hospital at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on Thursday, a development Governor Uzodimma described as devastating and unexpected.

A statement by Oguwike Nwachuku, Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the Imo State Governor, said his principal received with shock the sad, devastating and unexpected news of the passing of Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, a man he loves to describe as one of Nigeria's intellectual and political giants with extraordinary gentility.

The statement said that with Dr. Onu's death, the South East, Nigeria and the global community have lost a statesman who believed so much in the unity, peace, progress and development of Nigeria.

The statement further said that Dr. Onu, 72,remained a leading light in the All Progressives Congress (APC) family having, for many years, imbibed the tenets of progressive democracy as the easiest route to serve the people.

The statement said that Governor Uzodimma therefore consoles the APC family, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the government of Nigeria, the South East geopolitical zone, the government and people of Ebonyi State and all political associates of the deceased over the huge.

Nwachuku also said that his principal spared a thought for Dr. Onu's family and prayed God to give them the grace to bear the burden of the unexpected loss even as he prayed for the repose of the soul of the one-time presidential aspirant of the APC and presidential candidate of the defunct All Peoples Party (APP).