Almost twenty-four hours after the reported death of Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the state government has yet to issue any official statement, leaving the public and political observers in suspense.
Ewhrudjakpo, 60, was said to have collapsed at the Government House in Yenagoa on Thursday, December 11, before being rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, where he was later confirmed dead.
While the state government remains silent, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), under the leadership of Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, confirmed the tragedy in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, **Ini Ememobong, on Thursday night.
“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has received with deep shock the news of the passing of the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State and a trusted, faithful party man, His Excellency, Senator Lawrence Oborawharievwo Ewhrudjakpo, who reportedly collapsed and died earlier today,” the statement read.
The PDP described the late Ewhrudjakpo as “an honest and consistent politician who believed in and practised politics with principle.
“He was a person of conviction, not convenience; a leader whose life was anchored on belief, integrity, and strength of character.”
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Ememobong added, “We are deeply saddened by the passing of this hero of political integrity, and we pray that God grants his soul eternal rest.
“We express our heartfelt condolences to the government and people of Bayelsa State on this painful and irreparable loss.”
Despite the party’s confirmation, there has been no word from Governor Douye Diri, his aides, or the Bayelsa State Executive Council.
The silence has fuelled speculation across the state, particularly given Ewhrudjakpo’s role as a key figure in the Diri administration and one of the PDP’s most influential voices in Bayelsa politics.
Born on September 5, 1965, the late Ewhrudjakpo served as Deputy Governor from 2020 until his death in 2025. Before that, he represented Bayelsa West Senatorial District in the 9th National Assembly.
As residents await an official government statement, tributes continue to pour in from political associates and community leaders who say Bayelsa has lost “a calm, principled, and loyal statesman.”