Son of the late Senator Okey Ezea, who represented Enugu North in the Senate, Jideofor, said his father resisted pressure to leave the Labour Party, the platform he was elected in 2023, to join the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Jideofor who formally announced his father’s death in a statement on Wednesday, said the Senator died in a private hospital in Lagos at about 11:07 P.M on Tuesday, November 18, after a brief illness.
“Until his passing, he remained the only federal lawmaker from Enugu State elected on the Labour Party platform in 2023 who, on principle, refused to defect to the ruling party,” Jideofor stated, noting that he was an active and influential voice in the 10th Senate.
He extolled father’s legislative activities, disclosing that moved several motions on the Senate floor, notably the motion calling for the establishment of a military base in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State to curb the persistent attacks and killings by rampaging herdsmen.
Senator Ezea, according to the son, served as Chairman of the Senate
Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, and later, Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Housing and Urban Development.
“At the time of his death, he was the Vice Chairman of both the Senate Committee on Cooperation and Integration in Africa and NEPAD, and the Senate Committee on Culture and Creative Economy,” he said, adding Senator Ezea’s legislative record was defined by purposeful and impactful contributions.
“He sponsored the bill to establish the Federal College of Agriculture, Adani, and championed the bill for the creation of Adada State, a legacy bill he pursued with unwavering commitment until
his illness,” he added.
Before contesting the 2023 senatorial election on the Labour Party platform,
Senator Ezea was a founding member of the APC and played a pivotal role in building the party’s foundation in Enugu State in 2013.
He was a three-time governorship contender – first in 2007 and 2011 under the Labour Party, and again in 2015 under the APC.
His victory in 2023 where he defeated an incumbent governor to win the senate, was a defining milestone in his political journey.
Beyond elective politics, Senator Ezea held notable national appointments, including his tenure as Chairman of the Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo, Taraba State.
Senator Okey Ezea is survived by his wife, Chioma, and four children.
As we mourn this painful loss, we respectfully request prayers for the family
