Impeachment: Court halts move against Bayelsa deputy governor

The Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and other respondents from proceeding with any impeachment moves against Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, pending the determination of a motion on notice filed in the matter. Justice Emeka Nwite, in an order issued on October 27 seen yesterday by Daily Trust, […]

The Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and other respondents from proceeding with any impeachment moves against Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, pending the determination of a motion on notice filed in the matter.

Justice Emeka Nwite, in an order issued on October 27 seen yesterday by Daily Trust, directed the Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and five others to appear before the court and show cause why they should not be restrained from taking further steps to impeach the deputy governor over alleged misconduct related to his refusal to defect to another political party.

The ex-parte motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2219/2025 and filed on October 17 by Ewhrudjakpo, listed the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, the Speaker, the Inspector General of Police, the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Attorney General, the Chief Judge, and the Clerk of the Assembly as defendants.

Ewhrudjakpo, through his counsel, prayed for an order of interim injunction directing the defendants to appear and show cause why the interim reliefs sought in the substantive motion should not be granted pending the hearing and determination of the matter.

He also sought an order restraining the defendants from removing or impeaching him as deputy governor of Bayelsa State in violation of the provisions of Sections 188(5–11) and 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). He argued that his refusal to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) or any other political party before the end of his tenure should not be a basis for impeachment.

The deputy governor further asked the court to stop the Assembly from initiating or conducting any impeachment proceedings against him on account of his decision to remain in the PDP. The case was adjourned to November 13 for further hearing.

 

How Ewhrudjakpo, Diri fell out

Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, once a close political ally of Governor Douye Diri, reportedly fell out with his principal after refusing to follow him in resigning from the PDP on October 15.

Ewhrudjakpo, a key figure in the Seriake Dickson administration, where he served as Commissioner for Works between 2012 and 2019 before he was elected senator for Bayelsa West, had maintained a cordial relationship with Diri throughout their first term and early in their second.

A political source in Ofoni, the deputy governor’s hometown, told Daily Trust that Ewhrudjakpo’s loyalty to former Governor Seriake Dickson made it difficult for him to abandon the PDP, especially as Dickson, now a serving senator, remains a prominent member of the party.

“Ewhrudjakpo worked closely with Dickson as his legislative aide when he was in the House of Representatives between 2007 and 2012. His political roots are firmly tied to that relationship,” the source said.

Currently, 21 out of the 24 members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly are said to have aligned with Governor Diri, while three lawmakers loyal to Dickson remain in the PDP.

Reliable Assembly sources told Daily Trust that Speaker Abraham Ingobere is being tipped to replace Ewhrudjakpo as deputy governor should the impeachment succeed, while a member from Ekeremor Local Government Area, a former youth leader, is being considered as the next Speaker.

It was further learnt that Governor Diri has delayed publicly announcing his new political affiliation to give his deputy time to reconsider his position and join him in leaving the PDP.