The family of the late Senator Okechukwu Ezea, who represented Enugu North Senatorial District in the 10th Senate, has officially announced his passing.
The announcement was made to The News Chronicle by his first son, Jideofor Ezea, late Wednesday night.
Jideofor said the late lawmaker died after a brief illness in Lagos on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, describing his death as a moment of profound grief.
Senator Ezea, who represented Enugu North Senatorial District in the 10th Senate, passed away at a private hospital at around 11:07 p.m.
Until his passing, Senator Ezea was an active and influential member of the Senate, serving as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions at the commencement of the legislative session.
He was a two-time gubernatorial candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) for Enugu State.
Meanwhile, former Governor of Anambra State and former Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Nwabueze Ngige, has described the death of the serving Senator representing Enugu North, Senator Okey Ezea, as a profound loss not only to the South East but to Nigeria at large.
Ngige in a statement on Thursday in Awka, said the late senator was “a true compatriot and a Progressive of inestimable value whose visionary political mind helped shape contemporary Nigerian politics.”
According to Ngige, who revealed how he served together with the deceased as foundation members of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Ezea fondly called Ideke was a politician whose passing has created a vacuum in national representation:
“His loss will significantly affect the voice of the South East in the National Assembly. Even after moving to the Labour Party, he remained in close consultation with me on legislative and national political matters.” he stated.
He further revealed their continued relationship, saying, “When I told him early last year that I was taking a sabbatical from active politics until 2026, he protested strongly. Only a few months ago, he reminded me that 2026 was already around the corner.”
Ngige emphasized Ezea’s deep roots in progressive politics, recalling how he played crucial roles in the formative stages of both the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and later the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“In all of this, he exemplified the resilience, courage, and political clarity for which the Igbo are known.
“The South East, and indeed Nigeria, will forever remember his immense contributions to our geopolitical zone and to the advancement of progressive politics in our nation.”
