Political consultations and lobbying have intensified in Bayelsa State as attention turns to Governor Douye Diri’s choice of a successor to the late Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, stakeholders said on Tuesday in Yenagoa.
Ewhrudjakpo died on December 11, 2025, at age 60 after collapsing in his office in Yenagoa and was buried on January 30, 2026.
Under the Constitution, Governor Diri has the authority to nominate a replacement deputy governor, subject to confirmation by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.
The issue of the next deputy governor has drawn attention from political actors across the state, with some public discussion on whether the nominee should come from Sagbama Local Government Area or reflect broader zoning considerations within Bayelsa West Senatorial District.
Before and after Ewhrudjakpo’s burial, consultations were held among political stakeholders in Bayelsa State about the choice of a new deputy governor. Some advocates said Sagbama Local Government Area, where Ewhrudjakpo hailed from, should produce his successor.
Names mentioned as possible replacements included Dr. Peter Akpe, Chief of Staff to Governor Diri and a Sagbama native; Christopher Ewhrudjakpo, elder brother of the late deputy governor and a retired permanent secretary; Abraham Ingobere, Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly from Brass Local Government Area; and Dr. Dennis Otiotio, Bayelsa State APC chairman from Nembe (Bassambiri).
Some stakeholders said consultations and lobbying occurred even before the burial of the late deputy governor.
One stakeholder, Ayebakuro Igbeta, said Sagbama Constituency I should be allowed to complete the term in office, given that Ewhrudjakpo was from that area.
David West, chairman of the Civil Liberties Organisation in Bayelsa State, said the governor should prioritise character, competence and acceptability in appointing a replacement and urged focus on broader considerations rather than political compensation.
The discussions in Bayelsa State regarding the choice of a deputy governor reflect ongoing political engagement at the subnational level as Nigerian states prepare for future elections, including the 2027 general polls.
The selection of a deputy governor can influence local political balance, governance continuity and party dynamics in a state.
