Borno South Senator Ali Ndume has called on his colleagues in the Senate to support the widow of the late Ifeanyi Ubah in her bid to succeed her husband as the representative of Anambra South Senatorial District. Ndume’s appeal came during a valedictory session held in honor of the late senator, who passed away at the age of 52 in July after a brief illness in a London hospital.
Ubah, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had recently defected from the Young Progressives Party (YPP) in October 2023 and had expressed his intentions to run for the Anambra governorship in 2025. Until his untimely death, he served as the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Downstream, a position now filled by Kano South Senator Kawu Sumaila.
During the valedictory session, Ndume urged his fellow senators to consider Ubah’s widow for the Senate seat, emphasizing the importance of continuing the late senator’s legacy. He pointed out that it is not uncommon for the spouses of deceased senators to step into their roles, citing examples from the past.
“It happened before. Chuba Okadigbo was a great politician. When he died, years after, his wife, the widow Margery, sat around here,” Ndume recounted. He also referenced other notable political figures, including First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, who entered the Senate with the support of her husband, President Bola Tinubu, and other senators who followed in the footsteps of their prominent family members.
In his appeal, Ndume highlighted the qualifications of Ubah’s widow, stating, “Fortunately, she is about 50 years old and a wonderful wife. Let us support the family to have a spirited representative of Ifeanyi here in the chamber during the upcoming elections for Anambra’s senatorial district.”
He concluded with a heartfelt request for his colleagues to keep Ubah’s spirit and aspirations alive in the Senate, reinforcing the notion that the late senator’s vision should continue to resonate within the legislative body.
In Nigeria, senators are elected based on Section 65 of the constitution, requiring candidates to be nominated by a political party, contest in elections organized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and emerge victorious before being inaugurated into office.
