Dapo Abiodun confirms Bayelsa Deputy Governor’s death

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In his capacity as the Chairperson of  the Southern Governors’ Forum, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has announced the death of Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who slumped in office on Thursday and was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa in the state capital.

In a statement late Thursday, Abiodun said: ‘I received news of the demise of the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, His Excellency, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, with deep sorrow.

‘The incident came as a profound shock to all of us, but we submit to the will of the Almighty God, who has chosen to call him home at this time’.

He commiserated with the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Duoye Diri, the people of the state and the Deputy Governor’s family and friends over the incident.

‘No doubt, Bayelsa State and Nigeria as a whole have lost a gem, but we shall take comfort in the knowledge that he lived a life of service to humanity and made profound change in the lives of people’, he said.

Abiodun confirmed that Ewhrudjakpo died at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, where he was rushed to after he slumped on Thursday afternoon.
Ewhrudjakpo’s political party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), also confirmed his death.

In a statement on Thursday night, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Ini Ememobong, described the death as ‘devastating and an inexplicable loss.

‘This devastating news has left the National Working Committee led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, and indeed the entire membership of our great party, especially our faithful members in Bayelsa State, in profound grief’, Ememobong said.

The PDP spokesperson said that Ewhrudjakpo was ‘a faithful party man’ and ‘consistent politician’, who believed in and practised politics with principle.

Ewhrudjakpo chose to remain in the PDP, when his boss, Diri, dumped the party for the All Progressives Congress (APC) last month. His decision to break with the governor and his camp on the defection fuelled speculations of a plot to remove him from office andreplace him with a compliant candidatethat will share the same party with the governor.

PDP described Ewhrudjakpo as a hero of political integrity and expressed regrets over his death.

‘We are deeply saddened by the passing of this hero of political integrity, and we pray that God grants his soul eternal rest’, Ememobong stated.

The Bayelsa State Government has yet to speak on the death of the Deputy Governor.

The state Commissioner for Information in the state, Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, did not respond when contacted on Thursday night, while the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah could not be reached via his phone.

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