Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has ordered that an autopsy be conducted to medically determine the cause of death of his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who passed away on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at the age of 60.
Dawn Herald reported that the late Deputy Governor, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), reportedly collapsed in his office at the Government House, Yenagoa, and was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), where he was pronounced dead.
Personnel close to the workaholic Deputy Governor, suggested that his sudden death may have been linked to a cardiac emergency and his demanding workload.
Governor Diri gave the directive on Saturday while receiving former President Goodluck Jonathan, who paid a condolence visit to the state. The Governor expressed disappointment over the politicization of the death on social media and appealed for respect during the official three working days of mourning from December 12 to 16, 2025.
Governor Diri, in a statement by his spokesman, urged the public to refrain from speculation and instead mourn and celebrate the late Ewhrudjakpo, who served the state with dedication and commitment.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan described the death as a sad moment for Bayelsans. He praised the late Deputy Governor’s commitment to public service;
I was also a deputy governor, but he worked harder than me. He hardly appeared to rest. This is a lesson for all of us to find time to rest – Jonathan
Governor Diri also emphasized his close relationship with his late deputy, describing him as a friend, stating that he never treated his late deputy as a subordinate, despite recent political tensions following Diri’s defection to the APC.
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