The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has expressed profound sorrow over the passing of Senator Okechukwu Ezea of Enugu North, noting that the 10th Senate has faced an unusually heavy burden of loss.

Speaking at a tribute night held in honour of the late senator at the National Ecumenical Centre, Abuja, on Tuesday, Akpabio recalled that three serving senators have died in quick succession over the past two years: Senators Ifianyi Ubah (Anambra South), Godiya Akwashiki (Nasarawa), and now Ezea.

“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. Each loss reminds us of our own mortality and the urgency of service,” he said.

He added, “Just days before the New Year, and only hours before the clock would usher in another chapter, death visited us again. It is a cruel reminder that time waits for no one. History teaches us that what truly endures is not power, position, or wealth, but love, compassion, and the good we do for others. Politics must never make us lose our humanity.”

Senator Nenadi Usman, Interim National Chairman of the Labour Party, described Ezea as a principled politician who remained loyal to his party until his death.

“Despite pressures from various quarters, he stayed committed to the Labour Party, on whose platform he was elected. Until his passing, he was 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,” she said.

She further noted that Ezea’s loyalty predated the 2023 elections, recalling his 2007 gubernatorial candidacy under the Labour Party, which highlighted his political strength.

Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi extended condolences to the senator’s family, friends, and colleagues, urging them to draw comfort from the legacy he leaves behind.

The tribute event was attended by several notable figures, including former Senate President Ken Nnamani, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, Senator Victor Umeh, and former Voice of Nigeria Director-General Osita Okechukwu.