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 vacancy created by the death of the former deputy governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.
A seasoned public administrator and politician, Akpe previously served two terms as a member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly. He rose through the state civil service to the rank of Director before transitioning into senior political roles, including Deputy Chief of Staff and Acting Chief of Staff.
He holds a PhD and is also known as a Christian minister, often addressed as Hon. (Dr) or Pastor Peter Akpe.
Vacancy Following Ewhrudjakpo’s Death
Akpe’s confirmation comes weeks after the passing of Ewhrudjakpo in December 2025.
In a statement announcing the development, the Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, said the government received the news with deep regret and profound shock.
According to the statement, the deputy governor had been active earlier in the day before collapsing while heading to a scheduled meeting in his office. He was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, where he was later confirmed dead.
Governor Diri subsequently declared three days of mourning, directing that flags be flown at half-mast across the state. He described the incident as a great loss to the government and people of Bayelsa State and the nation, and ordered that an autopsy be conducted to determine the cause of death.
The governor also extended condolences to Ewhrudjakpo’s wife, Beatrice, his children, the Ewhrudjakpo family, the Ofoni Federated Community, former governor Henry Seriake Dickson, and the people of the state.
The Peoples Democratic Party described the late deputy governor as a principled and consistent politician whose life was defined by integrity and strength of character.
Ewhrudjakpo served as deputy governor from 2020 until his death, having been elected alongside Governor Diri in 2019 and re-elected in 2023.
