BREAKING: Governors Mourn As Bayelsa Deputy Governor Dies At 60

Governors across the Southern States in Nigeria have expressed shock and sorrow following the sudden death of the Bayelsa State deputy governor, Lawrence Ewrudjakpo, who reportedly collapsed in his office during an official engagement earlier on Thursday.

In a statement issued in Abeokuta, the Ogun State governor and chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum (SGF), Prince Dapo Abiodun, said he received the news with shock and described the incident as “particularly painful.”

He noted that the late deputy governor was committed to his duties and had shown remarkable dedication to the service of Bayelsa State.

“I received news of the demise of the deputy governor of Bayelsa State, His Excellency, Mr Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, with deep sorrow,” he said.

Abiodun added that the sudden death was devastating, especially for Governor Douye Diri, who he described as having lost “a dependable ally”, and extended his condolences to the government and people of Bayelsa State as well as the family of the late Deputy Governor.

“It is my sincere prayer that the Almighty God will be with them and give them the strength to survive this hour of pain and sorrow,” he said.

The Ogun State governor described Ewhrudjakpo as a dedicated public servant whose contributions to governance and public life would be remembered.

“No doubt, Bayelsa State and Nigeria have lost a gem, but we take comfort in the knowledge that he lived a life of service to humanity,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State Government was yet to release any official statement on the incident at press time.

Born on September 5, 1965, the 60-year-old deputy governor had been serving as the second-in-command in the Douye Diri Prosperity Administration since 2019 to date.

Ewrudjakpo, who hailed from Ofoni in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, attended the Ebikimiye Primary School, Kpakiama where he graduated in 1976.

He continued his education at Government College Bomadi in 1982 and later completed his secondary education at Community Secondary School, Ofoni where he obtained his West African School Certificate (WASC) in 1987.

He obtained a diploma in community health at Rivers State College of Health Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, between 1989 and 1991.

He also attended the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, between 1991 and 1996, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science (B. Sc.) in secretarial administration.

In 1998, he obtained his Master’s in Business Administration and also obtained an MBA, Management Option in 2000 at Rivers State University of Science and Technology and later studied law between 2002 and 2007 at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology and was called to the bar in 2009.

He was conferred a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Human Rights and Labour Law on 16 December 2023 by the Rivers State University of Science and Technology.

Ewrudjakpo’s political journey began when he served as the Commissioner for Works during the administration of the former governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, between 2012 and 2019, when he was elected as the senator representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District from 2019 to 2020 in the 9th National Assembly.

His rise continued in 2019 when the incumbent Governor, Douye Diri, selected him as his running mate. Together, they led the state government for two consecutive terms, focusing on infrastructure, education, and community development.