The Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri has nominated Mr Peter Akpe as the new Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State. The Bayelsa State House of Assembly subsequently confirmed the appointment as Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State.
The nomination, made in accordance with Section 191(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), comes after the sudden death of the former Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, on December 11, 2025.
Mr Akpe, a former member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and until recently the Chief of Staff to Governor Diri, underwent screening by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.
Mr Akpe, who hails from Sagbama Local Government Area in Bayelsa West Senatorial District — the same zone as the late Ewhrudjakpo — brings extensive experience in public service.
The nomination follows weeks of intense political consultations, lobbying, and speculation in the state, during which stakeholders debated zoning equity, loyalty, and administrative competence.
Further details on the swearing-in ceremony are expected from the Government House and yet to be decided as of the time of this report.
The seasoned public administrator and politician, Akpe is a former two-term member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.
He rose through the civil service to the rank of Director before moving 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.
Akpe’s confirmation follows the death of Ewhrudjakpo in December 2025.
In a statement issued by the state government, the Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, announced the passing with “deep regret and profound shock”.
“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 statement read.
Governor Diri subsequently declared three days of mourning, directing that flags be flown at half-mast and describing the loss as “a great loss to the Government and people of Bayelsa State and the nation”.
