Onyekachi Eze 
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has decried the number of deaths recorded by the 10th Senate since its inauguration in 2023.
Akpabio, who spoke at the Night of Tributes for the late Okechukwu Ezea, who represented Enugu North in the Senate, said the red chamber has recorded three deaths in quick succession.
“The last two years have been particularly heavy for us in the Senate. We have lost colleagues in quick succession—men of intellect, courage, and vision,” he said.
He listed the deceased Senators to include Senators Ifeanyi Uba, who died in 2024, Godiya Akwashiki, who died a few hours before the New Year, and now Ezea, who died on November 18, 2025.
“These are memories that will never fade.
“It was a cruel reminder that time does not wait for any man. Yet, even in such moments, we are reminded that God has a time for everything—a time to live and a time to return home,” he said.
According to him, “what truly endures is not power, position, or wealth, but love, compassion, and the good we do for others.”
He warned that politics should not make people lose their humanity.
“We must take care of one another, raise our children with love, promote peace among our people, and refuse to be divided,” he added.
Akpabio described Ezea as a brilliant and committed senator who worked tirelessly until the very end, “always arriving early, always asking questions, always eager to contribute.
“The greatest lesson from the life of Senator Okechukwu Ezea is that service to humanity is the highest calling.
“He served with humility, with courage, and with faith. Though he is no longer with us physically, his ideals, his contributions, and his legacy will continue to guide us,” he stated.
Former Labour Party presidential candidate Mr Peter Obi said that if five per cent of Nigerian politicians lived with honesty, courage, and commitment, the country would be far stronger and far better.
Obi stated that Senator Ezea lived a life of purpose, describing him as an honest, principled, and consistent person in all he did.
“In a country where politics is too often defined by ambition over integrity, he stood apart. He represented the very best of what leadership can be.
“He gave counsel freely, guided me and many others, and lived with a moral consistency that is all too rare in our nation. He was committed—not just in words, but in every action he took,” Obi added.
Interim National Chairman of Labour Party National Caretaker Committee, Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, described the late Senator as “a man of remarkable consistency, strong principles, and deep passion for his people.”
Senator Usman stated that even on his sickbed, shortly before he passed, Senator Ezea never wavered in his commitment to the cause of his people, despite the grave health challenges he faced.
She stated that until his death, Senator Ezea remained the only Labour Party member in the National Assembly from Enugu State “who, on principle, kept faith with the party that entrusted him with that mandate.”
