The Bayelsa State House of Assembly has confirmed the appointment of Peter Akpe as the new Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State.
Akpe, who until his confirmation served as Chief of Staff at Government House, Yenagoa, was nominated by Governor Douye Diri following the death of the former deputy governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, in December 2025.
A seasoned public administrator and politician, Akpe is a former two-term member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly. He rose through the civil service to the rank of Director before moving into senior political roles, including Deputy Chief of Staff and Acting Chief of Staff.
He holds a PhD and is also a Christian minister, often addressed as Hon. (Dr) or Pastor Peter Akpe.
The confirmation comes after the untimely death of Ewhrudjakpo, who collapsed while attending to official duties and was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, where he was later pronounced dead. In a statement, the Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, described the passing as occurring “with deep regret and profound shock.”
Governor Diri subsequently declared three days of mourning, ordering that flags be flown at half-mast and describing the loss as “a great loss to the Government and people of Bayelsa State and the nation.” He also directed an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
Diri extended condolences to the late deputy governor’s wife, Beatrice, his children, the Ewhrudjakpo family, the Ofoni Federated Community, former governor Henry Seriake Dickson, and the people of the state, praying for comfort and strength.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) described Ewhrudjakpo as “a principled and consistent politician… a person of conviction, not convenience; a leader whose life was anchored on belief, integrity and strength of character.”
Ewhrudjakpo served as deputy governor from 2020 until his death, having been elected alongside Diri in 2019 and re-elected in 2023.
