The Senate on Wednesday stood at the crossroads of grief and politics, as lawmakers paid final tributes to the late Senator Okechukwu Okey Ezea amid a notable shift in party alignment following the defection of two Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Proceedings opened on a sombre note during a valedictory session held in honour of Ezea, who represented Enugu North Senatorial District until his death in November 2025. Senators across party lines described his passing as a personal loss to the institution and a reminder of the shared humanity that binds lawmakers beyond political rivalry.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, led the tributes, describing Ezea as a lawmaker guided by conviction rather than spectacle. He said the late senator exemplified quiet dedication, principled debate and loyalty to the ideals of public service.
“We have lost a brother and a friend,” Akpabio said. “Ezea was motivated not by noise, but by purpose and service. In moments like this, party differences fade, and what remains is our common humanity.”
Akpabio noted that Ezea upheld the dignity of the Senate, respected the Constitution and approached lawmaking as a sacred responsibility.
He recalled the late senator’s calm disposition and thoughtful interventions, which earned him respect across political divides.
Other senators echoed similar sentiments, describing Ezea as humble, selfless and deeply committed to the welfare of his constituents. They urged the Senate to extend support to his family, disclosing that although three of his children had completed tertiary education, they were still unemployed.
Ezea served as Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Housing and was a member of several other committees. Akpabio said he consistently pursued empowerment initiatives, believing that representation must translate into real impact for ordinary citizens.
Tributes had also poured in a day earlier at a remembrance service held at the National Ecumenical Centre, Abuja, attended by lawmakers, political leaders and members of Ezea’s family. At the event, Akpabio lamented the frequency of deaths within the National Assembly, describing it as a sobering reflection on the fragility of life. Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, also paid tribute, urging Ezea’s children to uphold their father’s legacy of integrity.
However, the reflective mood soon gave way to political developments that underscored the evolving balance of power in the 10th Senate.
Two senators from Taraba State—Haruna Manu and Issa Shuaibu Lau—formally defected from the PDP to the APC. Their letters of defection, read by Akpabio at plenary, cited prolonged internal crises within the PDP, extensive consultations and the need to align politically in order to better serve their constituents.
Akpabio announced the Senate’s formal acknowledgment of the defections and directed the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, to receive the lawmakers into the APC, further strengthening the ruling party’s numerical advantage in the chamber.
The day’s proceedings captured the dual realities of parliamentary life—an institution capable of collective mourning, even as political currents continue to reshape its composition.
Grief, Realignment in Senate as Ezea Is Honoured, APC Gains Two More Lawmakers
