Bayelsa: Deputy gov sues assembly over ‘impeachment plot’ after refusing to defect

Lawrence

Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, deputy governor of Bayelsa state, has filed a suit against the state house of assembly over an alleged plan to impeach him.

In the originating summons marked FHC/ABJ/CS/221/2025, Ewhrudjakpo alleged that members of the Bayelsa assembly were under pressure to remove him from office for refusing to resign from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) — the platform on which he and Douye Diri, the state governor, were elected.

Diri recently resigned from the PDP, but Ewhrudjakpo has remained in the party.

Through his lawyer, Reuben Egwuaba, the deputy governor alleged before the federal high court in Abuja that some council chairpersons, including Alice Tange of Sagbama LGA, were also being threatened with removal for refusing to leave the PDP alongside the governor.

Ewhrudjakpo is seeking several interim orders, including one restraining the state house of assembly from removing or impeaching him in violation of sections 188(5)-(9), (11) and 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), on the grounds of his refusal to defect from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC) or any other political party before the end of his tenure.

He is also asking the court to restrain the assembly from initiating or conducting impeachment proceedings or meetings against him for the same reason and from recognising or dealing with any member of the APC as deputy governor of the state.

Additionally, Ewhrudjakpo wants an order restraining the inspector-general of police (IGP), director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Bayelsa state attorney-general from withdrawing his security protection as deputy governor pending the determination of the motion on notice. Thecable