Ndume Calls for Uchenna Ubah to Fill Late Husband’s Senate Seat, Urges Senate Support

Speaking at a valedictory session on Tuesday in honor of the late Senator Ubah, Ndume expressed his hope that the Senate would support the late lawmaker’s widow, Uchenna Ubah, as her husband’s successor.

Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), passed away in July 2023 at the age of 52 after a brief illness in a London hospital. He had defected from the Young Progressives Party (YPP) to the APC in October 2023, and he had expressed his intention to run for the governorship of Anambra in 2025. At the time of his death, Ubah was the chair of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Downstream, a role that has since been filled by Senator Kawu Sumaila from Kano South.

During the session, Ndume highlighted instances in the past where the wives or family members of deceased senators were able to succeed them in the Senate. He referenced political figures like the late Chuba Okadigbo, whose widow Margery later held a prominent political role, and others, including Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who was elected to the Senate with the support of her husband, President Bola Tinubu.

“Chuba Okadigbo was a great politician. After his death, his wife, Margery, took over. Also, our First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, came to the Senate with the backing of her husband, the president. She initially had no interest in politics, but the people of Lagos pushed for her to run,” Ndume recalled. He also pointed to other examples of politicians whose family members followed in their footsteps, including the families of former senators like Dafinone and Obasanjo.

In his appeal, Ndume emphasized the need for the Senate to continue the legacy of the late Senator Ubah by supporting his wife to represent the Anambra South District, stressing that she is well-qualified and would serve as a fitting representative of her late husband’s ideals and aspirations.

“I urge my colleagues to support the late Senator Ubah’s wife. She is a wonderful person, around 50 years old, and is well-positioned to carry on his spirit and vision. Let’s give the family the support they need to keep Ifeanyi’s aspirations alive in the Senate,” Ndume said.

Under Nigerian law, senators are elected through a party nomination process followed by an election organized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), after which the winner is inaugurated as a member of the Senate.