The National Assembly was plunged into mourning on Wednesday following the death of Senator Okey Ezea, the lawmaker representing Enugu North Senatorial District in the 10th Senate.
His family has formally clarified the circumstances surrounding his demise, dispelling earlier claims that he died overseas.
In a statement issued from Abuja and signed by his son, Jideofor Ezea, the family confirmed that the senator passed away at a private hospital in Lagos at about 11:07 pm on Tuesday after a brief illness.
âWith profound grief, the family of Distinguished Senator Okey Ezea, who represented Enugu North Senatorial District in the 10th Senate, announces his passing,â the statement said.
Until his death, Ezea was one of the most vocal lawmakers from the South-East and a prominent figure in the Red Chamber.
At the start of the 10th Senate, he chaired the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions before taking on additional strategic responsibilities as Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Housing and Urban Development, the Senate Committee on Cooperation and Integration in Africa and NEPAD, and the Senate Committee on Culture and Creative Economy.
His family noted that Ezeaâs legislative career was marked by purposeful contributions.
âHe sponsored the bill to establish the Federal College of Agriculture, Adani, and championed the bill for the creation of Adada State,â the statement added.
He also moved key motions on the Senate floor, including the call for a military base in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State to tackle persistent herdsmen attacks.
Ezeaâs political journey stretched back nearly two decades.
Before winning the Enugu North Senate seat in 2023 under the Labour Party, he was a founding member of the APC in Enugu and a three-time governorship contenderâfirst under the Labour Party in 2007 and 2011, and later under the APC in 2015.
His 2023 victory, where he defeated an incumbent governor, was widely described as a defining milestone in his political career.
Beyond elective roles, he held national appointments, including his tenure as Chairman, Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo, Taraba State.
The family also emphasised his political loyalty, stating that he remained the only federal lawmaker from Enugu elected on the Labour Party platform in 2023 and âon principle, refused to defect to the ruling party â standing firm against the pressure to ditch the party that sponsored him to the senate.â
He is survived by his wife, Chioma, and four children.
âAs we mourn this painful loss, we respectfully request prayers for the family during this difficult time,â the statement concluded.
Meanwhile, the Senate reacted with deep sorrow as news of his passing filtered into the National Assembly complex.
Ezea becomes the second serving senator from the South-East to die within two years, following the July 2024 death of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah of Anambra State in London.
Tributes poured in from colleagues who described him as humble, principled, and deeply spiritual.
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia North said he received the news âwith profound shock and deep sorrow,â adding that Ezea was âmy dear brother and colleague.â
Kalu said, âHis death is a painful blow that has left me personally devastated. Senator Ezea was more than a fellow legislator. He was a friend with whom I shared a close and sincere bond. Our friendship was built on mutual respect, brotherhood, and genuine affection.â
He extended condolences to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the people of Enugu State, Governor Peter Mbah, the Nsukka community, and Ezeaâs family, saying, âThe Senate has lost a principled voice, one who contributed with clarity, courage, and unshakable conviction.â
Also mourning him, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central described Ezea as a steady source of encouragement.
âYou were a good man! Wise and gentle. Your prayers kept me going through my darkest moments, and I will miss you in chambers,â she wrote.
She added, âEnugu North Senatorial District, Kogi Central honours your senator and mourns with you. Rest in peace, Distinguished Senator Okey Ezea.â
The Senate is expected to formally address his passing at plenary, where a minute of silence will likely be observed in his honour as legislative tradition demands.
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