The Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, has ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of the death of his deputy governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo. The Port City News (TCPN) reported that Ewhrudjakpo died on Thursday at the age of 60.
In a statement, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, said Diri gave the directive on Saturday when former President Goodluck Jonathan paid a condolence visit to him and the Ewhrudjakpo family at the Government House in Yenagoa.
The governor said he had observed attempts to politicise his deputy’s death, noting that in Ijaw land, there is no enmity in death.
He appealed to the public not to politicise the deputy governor’s death, stressing that anyone who loved him should show it at this time.
Diri admonished those spreading rumours to desist and instead eulogise the memory of the late deputy governor, whom he said served the state wholeheartedly.
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He said, “I have directed that an autopsy be conducted 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 it there 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.”
The governor also thanked Jonathan for standing with the government during both good and challenging times.
