Bayelsa deputy governor dies after sudden collapse

Bayelsa State Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo has died at the age of 60.

Ewhrudjakpo was said to have died after he collapsed in his office in Yenagoa.

He was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in the state capital on Thursday, December 11, 2025.

The late deputy governor reportedly slumped in his office about 1:30 p.m., and was moved into the hospital’s emergency department and placed in Intensive Care Unit.

The deputy governor’s media aide, Doubara Atasi confirmed the development but declined to give details.

Hospital sources disclosed that Ewhrudjakpo died after efforts to revive him in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) failed.

Born on September 5, 1965, Ewhrudjakpo had served as the deputy governor of Bayelsa State since 2020

There were insinuations on Thursday that the former Governor Seriake Dickson and Ewhrudjakpo were considering leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over rising uncertainty in the party.

The planned exit follows concerns about the stability of the opposition platform.

Dickson, who has been openly critical of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Senate, has not followed Governor Douye Diri in defecting to the ruling party. Ewhrudjakpo also refused to join the APC after Diri’s defection on November 3.

Both men are believed to be in talks with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which is being considered as a platform for Dickson’s reported bid to return to the Senate and for Ewhrudjakpo’s expected run for governor.

As Dickson ended his second term as governor, he backed Ewhrudjakpo for Senate and later influenced his emergence as Diri’s running mate.

Ewhrudjakpo left the Senate after becoming deputy governor, creating a vacancy which Dickson won in a by-election.

Dickson had earlier warned Diri against defecting to the APC, but the governor ignored the advice.

A source in the government house told The Nation that the rumoured defection of Dickson and Ewhrudjakpo has “some element of truth”.

The source said Dickson has political links to the ADC and has allegedly influenced some appointments in the party’s state structure.

He said Dickson may defect along with Ewhrudjakpo, who served as his works commissioner during his administration.

He, however, argued that the ADC “cannot win one local government area” in Bayelsa due to its low acceptance.

He said his preference would be for Dickson to join the governor in the APC, adding that “anybody going to the ADC is on his own”.

Another source said Dickson’s chances of securing a third term in the Senate under the PDP remain uncertain, making the ADC a possible alternative.

He said the former governor has the political structure and resources to win an election in his district even on a smaller platform.