By Ayo Kehinde
Bayelsa State is in shock following the death of Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, at the age of 60.
Earlier reports said that Ewhrudjakpo collapsed in his office at about 1:30 p.m on Thursday and was immediately rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Yenagoa. His media aide, Doubara Atasi, confirmed the development.
According to hospital sources, efforts to revive Ewhrudjakpo in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead.
The Bayelsa State Government and the family of the late deputy governor have yet to release an official statement on the circumstances surrounding his death.
Born on September 5, 1965, Ewhrudjakpo was a former federal lawmaker and had served as the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State since 2020.
Only recently, he was the subject of political discussion in the state following his refusal to defect to the All Progressives Congress APC alongside Governor Duoye Diri the cabinet all eight local government Chairmen, many lawmakers in the Assembly and a Senator.
He stood his grounds against defection, vowing to remain in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with his godfather and former governor Seriake Dickson, now a Senator representing Bayelsa South at the Senate.
His death would further deepen the political divide caused by the controversial defection.
