Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has ordered an autopsy on his late deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, in a decisive move to silence speculation and rumours surrounding his sudden death.
The directive was given on Saturday at the Government House, Yenagoa, during a condolence visit by former President Goodluck Jonathan, as emotions ran high across the state.
“I have directed that an autopsy be done to reveal the cause of his death. There is a lot of nonsense going on on social media. If anybody is issuing any statement to eulogise him, please end at that and mourn him because the state is in a mourning mood.
“That is why we have declared three working days of mourning, and we expect everyone in the state to do what the former president has done today.
“Let us love one another to the point of death because all of us will answer this call one day.”
Jonathan, himself a former Bayelsa deputy governor, described the death as a painful blow to the state and praised Ewhrudjakpo’s loyalty and service.
“For me, he was somebody my foundation and I will never forget. He represented the governor in all our programmes.
“This year in Accra, Ghana, he did the same. On November 20 this year, he also mobilised assembly members and commissioners to Abuja to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Foundation.
“Whenever I am having a programme, Bayelsa State is always represented. It is quite a sad moment for all of us.”
Jonathan described the late deputy governor as humble and tireless, urging leaders to learn from his work ethic.
“I was also a deputy governor, but he worked harder than me. He appeared not to rest. This is even a lesson for us all to find time to rest.
“We pray that this state does not experience this ugly incident again. We pray God to cushion the effect of the sad incident on the state, particularly on the immediate family.”
Governor Diri thanked Jonathan for being the first to officially visit and warned against turning the tragedy into political drama.
“I want to make an appeal. I have seen people politicise his death. In Ijaw land, there is no enmity in death. Let nobody politicise the death of our dearly beloved deputy governor. If anyone loves him, this is the time to show it.”
After the visit, Diri and Jonathan paid a condolence visit to the late deputy governor’s wife, Barr. Beatrice Ewhrudjakpo, at her residence inside Government House.
Ewhrudjakpo reportedly slumped at about 1:30 p.m. in his office at the Government House, Yenagoa, and was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit of the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, where he was later pronounced dead.
