Senator Okey Ezea: A Legacy of Service and Advocacy

Until his passing, Senator Okey Ezea remained a vibrant and influential member of the 10th Senate. At the start of the legislative session, he served as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions. He later assumed key leadership roles, including Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Housing and Urban Development. At the time of his death, he was Vice Chairman of both the Senate Committee on Cooperation and Integration in Africa and NEPAD, and the Senate Committee on Culture and Creative Economy.

Senator Ezea’s legislative contributions were marked by purpose and determination. He sponsored the bill to establish the Federal College of Agriculture, Adani, and championed the creation of Adada State, a legacy initiative he pursued relentlessly until illness slowed him down. He also moved several motions on the Senate floor, including one advocating for the establishment of a military base in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State to curb recurring attacks by herdsmen.

Before winning the Enugu North Senate seat in 2023 under the Labour Party, Ezea was a founding member of the APC, helping to build the party’s structure in Enugu State in 2013. A three-time governorship contender—running in 2007 and 2011 with the Labour Party, and again in 2015 under the APC—his 2023 Senate victory over then-Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi marked a pivotal achievement in his political career.

Beyond elective office, Senator Ezea also served in national capacities, including as Chairman of the Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo, in Taraba State. Notably, he remained the only federal lawmaker from Enugu State elected on the Labour Party platform in 2023 who resisted pressures to defect to the ruling party, standing firm even as several colleagues—including seven House members and the state’s other senator—switched allegiance.

Senator Okey Ezea is survived by his wife, Chioma, and their four children, leaving behind a legacy of principled leadership and steadfast advocacy for his constituents.