Political lobbying has intensified in Bayelsa State as attention turns to who will replace the late deputy governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, amid growing tension over zoning, representation and the fragile balance of power within Bayelsa West.
Even before Ewhrudjakpo’s burial, consultations and quiet horse-trading were already under way, reflecting the political vacuum left by his sudden death and the sensitivities surrounding his refusal to follow Governor Douye Diri in defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Ewhrudjakpo died on 11 December 2025 at the age of 60 after collapsing in his office in Yenagoa. He was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, where he was pronounced dead.
His death has since triggered a dispute over whether his successor should come from Sagbama Local Government Area, where he hailed from, or whether existing zoning arrangements across Bayelsa West Senatorial District should prevail.
Some political stakeholders argue that equity demands Sagbama should be allowed to complete the tenure, insisting that replacing Ewhrudjakpo with someone outside his constituency would amount to a political injustice.
Ayebakuro Igbeta, one of the voices pushing that position, said Sagbama Constituency I should be permitted to produce the next deputy governor to complete the remaining two years of the administration.
Others, however, insist that the decision must reflect broader zoning considerations within the senatorial district, warning that a narrow focus on Sagbama could upset longstanding arrangements and provoke further political tension.
Under Nigeria’s constitution, Diri has the authority to nominate a replacement, subject to confirmation by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.
Several names have emerged in the political rumour mill. They include the governor’s chief of staff, Dr Peter Akpe, who is from Sagbama; Christopher Ewhrudjakpo, elder brother of the late deputy governor and a retired permanent secretary; the speaker of the state assembly, Abraham Ingobere, from Brass Local Government Area; and the Bayelsa APC chairman, Dr Dennis Otiotio, from Nembe (Bassambiri).
Former governor and senator representing Bayelsa West, Seriake Dickson, criticised what he described as unseemly lobbying for Ewhrudjakpo’s replacement even before his burial, which took place on 30 January.
He said the process had become unnecessarily heated, stressing that the constitutional responsibility for naming a successor rested squarely with the governor.
“There is no contention about who should nominate a replacement for the late deputy governor,” Dickson said.
He added that despite his political role in the emergence of the current administration, he had not interfered in government affairs or sought personal advantage.
“Even though I produced the governor and his deputy, I have neither interfered with the government nor sought any favours,” he said. “For the six years so far, I have not put Diri under any pressure and will remain so for the remaining two years.”
The chairman of the Civil Liberties Organisation in Bayelsa State, David West, also weighed in, warning that for reasons of equity and political balance the deputy governor’s slot should remain in Sagbama.
He argued that a zoning understanding existed before the emergence of Diri and Ewhrudjakpo and should not be discarded midway through the tenure.
“Before the emergence of the governor and his late deputy, there was a political arrangement many people referred to as zoning. This arrangement should be maintained for the next two years of Governor Diri’s administration,” West said.
He also criticised the delay in appointing a replacement, describing the prolonged vacancy as constitutionally questionable.
“Keeping the appointment of the deputy governor too long is an aberration of the constitution,” he said, adding that the deputy governor should have been named within 24 hours of Ewhrudjakpo’s death, even as the state mourned.
West said the vacuum had already affected governance, noting that Diri was frequently out of the state and that the late deputy governor often represented him at political engagements.
“As I speak to you now, the governor is not in the state, and state activities are at a standstill, which is not proper,” he said.
He urged Diri to prioritise competence, character and public acceptability in choosing a successor, cautioning against using the position as a reward for political loyalty or compensation.
