YENAGOA, Nigeria — Bayelsa State’s political landscape shifted sharply following the sudden death of Deputy Gov. Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, triggering intense lobbying and high-level calculations over who will succeed him, Dec. 11, 2025. His passing has not only plunged the state into mourning but also reopened delicate debates about zoning, loyalty and the balance of power ahead of 2027.

Ewhrudjakpo, 60, died Thursday after slumping in his office in Yenagoa. He was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, where doctors pronounced him dead. His death came barely weeks after he survived political turbulence sparked by Gov. Douye Diri’s Nov. 3 defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.

While Diri and several state officials crossed to the APC, Ewhrudjakpo remained in the PDP, a decision that unsettled the political establishment and fueled speculation about moves to replace him. He later sued the Bayelsa State House of Assembly to forestall any impeachment attempt, withdrawing the suit after the governor intervened and an out-of-court settlement was reached.

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Only hours before his death, Ewhrudjakpo had posted photographs on Facebook from a meeting at Government House with UNICEF Country Representative in Nigeria Wafaa Saeed.

Tributes poured in nationwide. Former President Goodluck Jonathan described him as “a devoted steward of Bayelsa, a patriot, and a loyal servant of our state and nation.”

“Throughout his years in public service, he demonstrated an unwavering passion for the welfare of our people and earned the respect and admiration of many across the country,” Jonathan said.

Yet even as condolences continued, political maneuvering resumed behind closed doors.

The power matrix

At the center of speculation is former Gov. Seriake Dickson, now a senator, widely regarded as a key power broker in Bayelsa politics. Though he has publicly maintained that selecting a new deputy governor is solely Diri’s constitutional prerogative, political observers believe his influence remains significant.

Dickson has advised aspirants to direct their lobbying efforts to the governor. However, many in Yenagoa believe he favors Hon. Ebizi Rosemary Brown Ndiomu, his former deputy chief of staff and current representative of Sagbama III in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly. Her emergence would preserve Sagbama Local Government Area’s hold on the office and reinforce Dickson’s political relevance.

Jonathan’s influence also looms large. His endorsement was pivotal to Diri’s 2023 re-election, which the governor once described as “worth more than billions of naira.” Though the former president has not publicly commented on the succession, stakeholders say his position — even if conveyed privately — could shape the outcome.

Federal leverage and 2027 calculations

Minister of State for Petroleum Heineken Lokpobiri is another figure under close watch. A former two-term senator for Bayelsa West and one-time minister of state for agriculture, Lokpobiri has long harbored governorship ambitions.

Political analysts say whoever emerges as deputy governor could either strengthen or complicate his potential 2027 bid. His federal connections and local networks make him a strategic actor in the unfolding contest.

Gov. Diri remains at the center of the decision-making process. His silence has heightened suspense, with no public indication of a preferred successor.

Sources close to Government House say the governor may be weighing his chief of staff, Pastor Peter Akpe, a trusted aide and maternal cousin. While Akpe’s administrative experience and proximity to the governor are seen as strengths, critics question the optics at a time when zoning and inclusivity are dominant concerns.

Prince Ebitimi Amgbare, managing director and chief executive officer of the Niger Delta Basin Development Authority, is also mentioned. Perceived to enjoy cordial ties with President Bola Tinubu, Amgbare is viewed as a bridge between Bayelsa’s old APC structure and Diri’s new political alignment.

Zoning debate resurfaces

Many political leaders argue that Sagbama Local Government Area — Ewhrudjakpo’s home base — should retain the office in the spirit of equity and continuity.

Among names circulating is Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Abraham Ingobere, praised by Diri for maintaining executive-legislative stability. Though he represents Brass Constituency III, his relationship with the governor is considered strong.

Other potential contenders include Dr. Dennis Otiotio, Bayelsa APC chairman from Nembe, and Christopher Ewhrudjakpo, the late deputy governor’s elder brother and a serving aide to the governor. While the latter’s candidacy could carry emotional resonance, analysts say political calculations may outweigh sentiment.

PDP stalwart Christopher Abarowe has urged the governor to balance what he described as a “political marriage” between the APC and PDP in the state.

“The foundational APC members — the old guard — should now be considered,” Abarowe said, mentioning Amgbare and Briya Aganaba among those deserving attention.

For now, Bayelsa mourns. But in a state where politics rarely pauses, the battle to shape the future has already begun — quietly, strategically and with 2027 firmly in view.