Bayelsa Assembly Confirms Peter Akpe as New Deputy Governor
The Bayelsa State House of Assembly has officially confirmed Pastor Peter Pereotubo Akpe as the new deputy governor of the state.
According to TheCable, the lawmakers approved his nomination during a plenary session on Tuesday. Governor Douye Diri nominated Akpe to fill the vacant seat left behind by the late deputy governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.
The confirmation follows the sudden death of Ewhrudjakpo on December 11, 2025. The 60-year-old former deputy governor collapsed in his office while preparing to attend a scheduled meeting.
Aides rushed him to the Federal Medical Centre in Yenagoa, where medical personnel pronounced him dead. The state government buried him recently on January 30, 2026.
The Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, released a public statement to explain the exact circumstances surrounding his sudden passing.
“The Deputy Governor was active and carrying out official duties earlier in the day. He collapsed while proceeding to a scheduled meeting within his office and was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, where he was later confirmed dead,” the commissioner stated.
Following the burial, political leaders engaged in serious debates over who should take over the office.
Many stakeholders insisted that the new deputy governor must come from the Sagbama Local Government Area to maintain political balance and respect existing zoning agreements in the state.
Governor Diri eventually selected Akpe, who hails from the Ebedebiri community located in the exact same local government area as his late predecessor.
Before his new elevation, Akpe served as the Chief of Staff at the Government House in Yenagoa. He brings deep political and administrative experience to his new role.
Akpe is a former two term member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly. During his time as a lawmaker, he served as the Majority Leader of the house between 2011 and 2019.
He also spent over twenty years working in the civil service of both Rivers and Bayelsa states before retiring as an Assistant Director.
He later held senior political positions, including Deputy Chief of Staff and Acting Chief of Staff, before the governor promoted him to Chief of Staff in March 2024.
The new deputy governor holds a doctorate degree in Administration and Planning. He is also a Christian minister and serves as a pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
