Diri orders autopsy on deputy governor as Jonathan mourns death

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has directed that an autopsy be carried out on the late deputy governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, to medically determine the cause of his death.

Diri gave the directive during a condolence visit by former President Goodluck Jonathan to him and the Ewhrudjakpo family on Saturday in Government House, Yenagoa, noted that a lot was being said about the death on social media.

Jonathan, who was also a deputy governor in the state, described the death, as a sad moment for all Bayelsans and recalled how Ewhrudjakpo represented Diri, mobilised the state assembly and executive council to the Jonathan Foundation’s democracy dialogue programme in Benin, Edo State.

He added, “I was also a deputy governor but he worked harder than me. He appeared not to rest. This is even a lesson for us all to find time to rest. We pray that this state does not experience this ugly incident again. We pray God to cushion the effect of the sad incident on the state, particularly on the immediate family.”

Jonathan described Ewhrudjakpo as very humble, saying nobody had anything negative to say about him.

Diri thanked Jonathan for being the first person to officially pay the government and the late Ewuhrudjkpo family a condolence visit.

He also cautioned those politicising the unfortunate incident, particularly on the social media.

He said, “I want to make an appeal. I have seen people politicise his death. In Ijawland, there is no enmity in death. Let nobody politicise the death of our dearly beloved deputy governor. If anyone loves him, this is the time to show it.

“I have directed that an autopsy be done to reveal the cause of his death. There are a lot of nonsense going being posted on the social media. If anybody is issuing any statement to eulogise him, please end at that 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.

Diri and the former president later visited the wife of the late deputy governor, Beatrice Ewhrudjakpo, at their residence in the Government House.