Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The lawmaker representing Enugu North Senatorial District in the 10th Senate Okey Ezea has died.
He died at the age of 62.
Truth Live News Media reports that the late Senator was elected on the platform of the Labour Party (LP).
His family has formally clarified the circumstances surrounding his demise, dismissing earlier claims that he died abroad.
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.
“With profound grief, the family of Distinguished Senator Okey Ezea, who represented Enugu North Senatorial District in the 10th Senate, announces his passing,” 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 said that Ezea’s legislative career was marked by purposeful contributions.
“He sponsored the bill to establish the Federal College of Agriculture, Adani, and championed the bill for the creation of Adada State,” 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.
Ezea’s 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 contender—first 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 “on principle, refused to defect to the ruling party – standing firm against the pressure to ditch the party that sponsored him to the senate.”
He is survived by his wife, Chioma, and four children.
“As we mourn this painful loss, we respectfully request prayers for the family during this difficult time,” the statement said.