Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has died after collapsing in his office in Yenagoa on Thursday.
The incident occurred at about 1:30 p.m. when Ewhrudjakpo reportedly slumped while descending a staircase shortly after a meeting. He was immediately rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa.
Report from the hospital says that he was brought in unconscious and taken straight to the Emergency Unit before being moved to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Efforts by medical personnel to revive him were unsuccessful.
His media aide, Doubara Atasi, confirmed the tragedy but declined to provide further details.
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News of his death triggered a surge of sympathisers to the hospital, prompting security agencies to restrict access to the premises.
Born on September 5, 1965, Ewhrudjakpo had served as deputy governor since 2020. He previously represented Bayelsa West in the Senate and was Commissioner for Works under former Governor Seriake Dickson.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, confirmed the deputy governor’s death, describing it as “inexplicable.”
Ewhrudjakpo, 60, a long-time political ally of Dickson, was among top officials who chose to remain in the PDP following Governor Douye Diri’s recent defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Their relationship reportedly deteriorated after Ewhrudjakpo refused to join the governor in resigning from the PDP on October 15.
Although Diri had publicly stated that no official would be compelled to defect to the APC, there were moves within the Bayelsa State House of Assembly to impeach the deputy governor. In response, Ewhrudjakpo approached the court to stop the alleged plot.
On October 27, the Federal High Court in Abuja restrained the Assembly from proceeding with any impeachment action against him.