Bayelsa Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo Sues State Assembly, IGP Over Alleged Impeachment Plot

Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has initiated a lawsuit against the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, its Speaker, and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, accusing them of conspiring to unlawfully remove him from office.

The suit, filed at the Federal High Court in Yenagoa, comes amid rising political tension in the state, with reports of a covert plan within the Assembly to commence impeachment proceedings against Ewhrudjakpo.

The deputy governor, who has served alongside Governor Douye Diri since 2020, is seeking judicial protection of his constitutional rights and an injunction restraining any further attempts to undermine his position.

According to court filings obtained by multiple outlets, Ewhrudjakpo alleges that the impeachment plot violates due process and is motivated by internal political rivalries ahead of Bayelsa’s 2027 governorship race.

He further claims that some Assembly members, backed by external political actors, have been holding secret meetings to orchestrate his removal under the guise of “gross misconduct.”

Sources close to the deputy governor describe the lawsuit as a “preemptive legal shield” aimed at halting any unconstitutional proceedings before they escalate into a full-blown political crisis. Meanwhile, the Bayelsa Assembly leadership has yet to issue an official statement, though insiders have downplayed the allegations as “baseless speculation.”

The Inspector-General of Police, also named as a respondent, is accused of failing to act on intelligence suggesting coordinated plans to intimidate the deputy governor’s supporters. Legal observers say the case could test the boundaries of executive-assembly relations in Nigerian states, especially in the run-up to future elections.

Public reaction on social media has been divided. Supporters of Ewhrudjakpo frame the move as an assertive stand against political victimization, while critics argue it reflects cracks within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa. Some commenters have also linked the development to broader trends of political instability in oil-rich states, where power tussles between governors and deputies often erupt near election seasons.

As the case proceeds, all eyes will be on the Federal High Court’s next hearing date, which may determine whether the alleged impeachment process will be halted or proceed under judicial scrutiny.

— Busterblog.com