Bayelsa Deputy Governor Takes Assembly To Court Over Alleged Impeachment Plot

Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has taken legal action against the state House of Assembly at the Federal High Court in Abuja, accusing lawmakers of plotting to remove him from office.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/221/2025, Ewhrudjakpo alleged that members of the Assembly were being pressured to initiate impeachment proceedings against him because he refused to resign from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the platform on which he and Governor Douye Diri were elected.

While Governor Diri recently left the PDP, Ewhrudjakpo has chosen to remain in the party. Through his lawyer, Reuben Egwuaba, the deputy governor claimed that the pressure to defect extended beyond him, alleging that some local government chairpersons, including Alice Tange of Sagbama LGA, were being threatened with removal for also refusing to leave the PDP.

Ewhrudjakpo is asking the court to issue an interim order preventing the state Assembly from starting or carrying out any impeachment process against him for staying in the PDP. He argued that such an action would violate the provisions of Sections 188(5)–(9), (11) and 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

He is also seeking an order barring the Assembly from recognising or working with any member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the deputy governor of the state. Additionally, he wants the court to restrain the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, and the Bayelsa State Attorney-General from withdrawing his security protection while the matter is being determined.

After listening to Egwuaba’s ex parte application on October 27, Justice Emeka Nwite ordered all the defendants to appear in court to explain why the interim orders sought should not be granted.

The defendants in the case include the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, its Speaker, the Inspector-General of Police, the DSS Director-General, the Bayelsa State Attorney-General, the State Chief Judge, and the Clerk of the Assembly.

Justice Nwite said the interest of justice would be best served by allowing all the parties to appear and present their positions before the court decides on the injunction. The case has been adjourned to November 13 for the defendants to show cause before the main motion is heard.