Dr. Ben Uruchi Odoh, a legal scholar, public administrator, and the current Attorney-General & Commissioner for Justice of Ebonyi State has won “2025 Ebonyi Commissioner of the Year.”

Odoh who oversees the state’s Ministry of Justice and plays a key role in legal reforms and governance won the 2025 Ebonyi Leadership Excellence Award; a leadership award organized annually by NEWSMAXNG to recognize leaders who are doing well in their different sectors.

The commissioner won against Oguzorkanu Offia-nwali (Commissioner For Commerce), and Mbam Stanley Lebechi (Commissioner For Works) with 15,356 votes.

With a strong academic background in law, including studies at Ebonyi State University, Nigerian Law School, and advanced degrees from other Nigerian and international institutions, Odoh also serves as Chairman of the Body of State Attorneys-General; a national body of state legal chiefs that coordinates legal policy and justice reform across Nigeria.

He’s also involved in legal education, mediation, and professional legal bodies.

Under his leadership as a commissioner for justice, Ebonyi State has witnessed significant legal reforms, including the establishment of new laws aimed at improving justice delivery in the state with the ministry working on about 26 new laws to help strengthen peace and legal order.

In a recent official briefing, the commissioner reported that 590 criminal cases and 897 civil matters have been handled over two years with many cases concluded and improvements in case disposal and justice accessibility.

Beyond just polls and votes, Odoh is a respected legal professional with academic and practical grounding who also leads legal reforms and has expanded access to justice in Ebonyi State.

Beyond his state however, Dr. Odoh Chairs the national Body of State Attorneys-General.