…Governor hails late Ewhrudjakpo as integral part of governance
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri has received high-powered delegations led by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, and the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, at the Government House, Yenagoa.
The dignitaries, accompanied by a delegation from the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) led by Dr. Godknows Boladei Igali, were in the state to condole with the governor, the government, and the people of Bayelsa over the passing of the Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.
Receiving the visitors, Governor Diri expressed profound gratitude for their solidarity during this moment of grief, describing the death of his deputy as a monumental loss to his administration and the state at large.
In an emotional tribute, Governor Diri rejected the common political cliché that describes deputy governors as mere spare tyres.
He emphasized that the late Senator Ewhrudjakpo was a central figure in his administration’s success.
“They say deputy governors are spare tyres. But in Bayelsa State, my deputy governor was part of the four wheels of the machine of governance in this state,” Diri stated.
He extolled the late deputy governor’s work ethic, noting that Ewhrudjakpo worked tirelessly and maintained seamless synergy with other organs of government.
“At all times, he represented me very well whenever it is required of him. We will all miss him. I have so much to remember about our departed deputy governor,” Diri added.
The governor prayed for God’s continued comfort for the bereaved family and the people of Bayelsa State as they mourn the departure of a dedicated public servant.