Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has ordered a medical autopsy to determine the cause of death of his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, following widespread speculation on social media.
The governor gave the directive on Saturday during a condolence visit by former President Goodluck Jonathan to the Government House in Yenagoa and the Ewhrudjakpo family. Diri said the autopsy was necessary to establish the facts surrounding the sudden death and to address misinformation circulating online.
Jonathan described the death of the deputy governor as a great loss to Bayelsa State, recalling Ewhrudjakpo’s active involvement in programmes organised by the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Foundation.
According to the former president, Ewhrudjakpo consistently represented Governor Diri at foundation events and played a key role in mobilising members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and the Executive Council for major programmes in Nigeria and abroad.
Jonathan described the late deputy governor as humble and hardworking, noting that his commitment to duty was exceptional. He urged public office holders to learn from the incident by prioritising rest and personal well-being.
He also prayed that the state would not experience a similar tragedy again and asked God to comfort the family and the people of Bayelsa.
Governor Diri thanked Jonathan for being the first to formally visit the state and the family to commiserate with them. He cautioned against politicising the death, especially on social media, and appealed to the public to respect the mourning period.
He said the state had declared three working days of mourning and urged residents to honour the memory of the late deputy governor rather than speculate about the circumstances of his death.
Later, Governor Diri and former President Jonathan visited the widow of the late deputy governor, Barrister Beatrice Ewhrudjakpo, at their residence within the Government House.
Ewhrudjakpo reportedly collapsed in his office at the Government House around 1:30 p.m. and was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit of the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, where he was later pronounced dead.
