The Labour Party leadership on Thursday expressed shock over the killing of Justice Azuka, the lawmaker representing Onitsha 1 North Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly.
Describing his death as a targeted assassination, the party criticised Governor Charles Soludo for failing to curb rising insecurity in the state.
Azuka was abducted on 24 December 2024 along Ugwunaobankpa Road, Onitsha, while returning home for Christmas.
Forty-four days later, his lifeless body was discovered by security operatives along the roadside near the Second Niger Bridge in the early hours of Thursday, 6 February 2025.
Labour Party Mourns Slain Lawmaker
The late lawmaker, a Labour Party chieftain, had reclaimed his mandate through a court ruling that removed Douglas Egbuna of the Peoples Democratic Party, who was initially declared the winner of the 2023 election.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday, Labour Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, said the party was traumatised by his death.
“Anambra has fully descended into chaos, where life has become nasty, brutish, and short because the leadership has lost the willpower to enforce law and order,” Ifoh lamented.
He recalled that the Labour Party’s 2021 governorship candidate, Obiora Agbasimelo, was abducted while campaigning, and his whereabouts remain unknown.
Calls for Thorough Investigation
Although the police have arrested some suspects, Ifoh urged a comprehensive probe to bring all culprits to justice.
He called on Labour Party members in Anambra to remain calm and allow security agencies to conduct their investigations.
“We are not suggesting political motives, but we are aware of the circumstances surrounding his regained mandate after a court ruling ousted the previous winner,” he stated.
He encouraged party members to stay focused despite the tragedy and not be discouraged by the unfortunate incident.