A lawmaker in Anambra State House of Assembly is dead. The deceased, Nnamdi Okafor, is the majority leader in the assembly. He represented Awka South Constituency 1 in the state assembly. The lawmaker was said to have slumped Wednesday morning in a hotel in Sandton City, Johannesburg, South Africa, and was confirmed dead hours later by medical doctors on duty. Some lawmakers from the state travelled to South Africa to attend a training organised for them by the assembly. The cause of his death is yet to be ascertained. The Governor of Anambra State, Charles Soludo, has confirmed the death of the lawmaker. Mr Soludo, in a statement on Wednesday by his spokesperson, Christian Aburime, expressed shock over the incident.
“It is shocking that the state assembly lost another lawmaker to the cold hands of death, coming barely three months after the demise of the lawmaker representing Aguata 2 Constituency, Hon. Okechukwu Okoye,” he said.
Mr Soludo described the deceased lawmaker as an active participant at the assembly who devoted his time and energy to represent his constituency.
“On behalf of the Anambra State Government, may I use this medium to convey my sympathy to those he left behind, including his family, Awka South Constituency 1 and the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Uche Okafor as well as other lawmakers,” the governor stated.
Mr Okafor is the second member of the Anambra House of Assembly to have died in less than three months. In May, gunmen abducted and then beheaded Okechukwu Okoye, a lawmaker representing Aguata 2 Constituency. Mr Okoye was killed on 21 May with his aide, Cyril Chiegboka, six days after they were abducted along Aguluigbo Road, Anaocha Local Government Area of the state. Before the death of Mrs Okoye and Okafor, the assembly had 30 members from 21 local government areas in the state. Their deaths have reduced the number of the lawmakers to 28. A new election is expected to be held in the state to replace the deceased lawmakers.
