KEY POINTS

• Bayelsa lawmakers confirmed Peter Akpe as deputy governor following the death of Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.
• Akpe is a former lawmaker, senior civil servant, and immediate past Chief of Staff at Government House.
• Ewhrudjakpo died suddenly after collapsing at work; the state declared mourning and ordered an autopsy.

The Bayelsa State House of Assembly has confirmed Peter Akpe as Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, approving his appointment following his nomination by Governor Douye Diri.

Akpe’s emergence fills the leadership vacuum created by the death of former deputy governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who passed away in December 2025 while still in office.

Before his confirmation, Akpe served as Chief of Staff at Government House, Yenagoa. He is regarded as an experienced public administrator and politician, having previously served two terms as a member of the state assembly.

He rose through the civil service hierarchy to the rank of Director and later held key political roles including Deputy Chief of Staff and Acting Chief of Staff.

Akpe holds a PhD and is also known in religious circles as a Christian minister, often addressed as Hon. (Dr) or Pastor Peter Akpe.

Circumstances Surrounding Ewhrudjakpo’s Death

According to a statement by the state government’s Commissioner for Information, Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, Ewhrudjakpo collapsed while heading to a scheduled meeting in his office and was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre Yenagoa, where doctors confirmed his death.

Governor Diri declared three days of mourning in honour of the late deputy governor and ordered that flags be flown at half-mast across the state, describing the loss as deeply painful for the government, people of Bayelsa, and the nation. He also directed that an autopsy be conducted to determine the cause of death.

Among those who paid respects was former president Goodluck Jonathan, who signed a condolence register at Government House, Yenagoa.

Diri extended sympathies to Ewhrudjakpo’s wife Beatrice, his children, the Ewhrudjakpo family, the Ofoni Federated Community, and former governor Henry Seriake Dickson.

The Peoples Democratic Party described the late deputy governor as a principled and consistent politician whose life reflected conviction, integrity, and strength of character. Ewhrudjakpo had served as deputy governor from 2020 until his passing, after being elected alongside Diri in 2019 and re-elected in 2023.