Wife of Slain Lawmaker Cites Trauma, Quest for Justice in Onitsha Assembly Bid
ONITSHA – In a deeply personal and emotional declaration, Mrs. Justina Amaka Azuka, the ADC candidate for Onitsha North Constituency 1, has revealed that the traumatic murder of her husband is the core motivation behind her run for office in the upcoming August 16, 2025 bye-election.
Framing her campaign as a quest for justice, Mrs. Azuka described the date of her husband’s kidnapping, December 24, 2024, as one that “changed everything” and left a “scar so deep in my soul.”
The bye-election was called to fill the seat left vacant by Mrs. Azuka’s husband, the late Hon. Justice Azuka. He was representing Onitsha North Constituency 1 at the Anambra State Assembly when he was kidnapped on Christmas Eve upon arriving at his home. His body was later discovered by police operatives near the Second Niger Bridge following the arrest of the alleged kidnap gang.
Speaking on the profound and lasting burden she has carried since her husband’s death, Mrs. Azuka stated, “That day didn’t just pass, it pierced. It didn’t just happen, it haunted.
Addressing her constituents, she linked her personal healing to her commitment to public service, noting the impact on her children. “I see their eyes searching mine for strength,” she said. “I know I must speak, not just for myself, but for them. Because they too were robbed of something that day.”
The candidate acknowledged the immense pressure of running for office while managing this internal struggle. “People see the campaign but they don’t always see the internal war,” she explained, positioning her political ambition as something far greater than politics. “This is personal. This is about truth. This is about justice.”
Mrs. Azuka’s campaign message is a dual promise: to seek justice for her family and “for every person who has been hurt, silenced or overlooked,” while also continuing the public service legacy of her late husband.
“I will continue these good wishes and works my husband left behind and see that we all get our own dividend,” she pledged to the people of Onitsha North Constituency 1. Her appeal extends beyond her constituency, reaching out to others who have suffered in silence. “To every woman who has been hurt in secret, to every mother trying to carry both pain and purpose… This is for you too,” she declared.
Vowing not to be silenced or broken, Mrs. Azuka concluded with a firm resolve: “I will continue to stand… to speak… to fight… not just for a political seat, but for dignity, healing and truth. Because justice is not luxury, it is a right and I will not rest until it is served.”
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