| Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo | |
| Office1: | Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State |
| Term Start1: | 14 February 2020 |
| Governor1: | Douye Diri |
| Predecessor1: | Gboribiogha John Jonah |
| Office2: | Senator for Bayelsa West |
| Term Start2: | 11 June 2019 |
| Term End2: | 11 February 2020 |
| Predecessor2: | Foster Ogola |
| Successor2: | Seriake Dickson |
| Birth Name: | Lawrence Oborawharievwo Ewhrudjakpo |
| Birth Date: | 5 September 1965 |
| Birth Place: | Sagbama, Eastern Region, Nigeria (now in Bayelsa State) |
| Party: | Peoples Democratic Party |
| Spouse: | Beatrice Ewhrudjakpo |
| Nationality: | Nigerian |
| Alma Mater: |
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Lawrence Oborawharievwo Ewhrudjakpo (born 5 September 1965) is a Nigerian politician who has served as the deputy governor of Bayelsa State since 2020.[1] [2] He was the senator representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District from 2019 to 2020 in the 9th National Assembly.[3] [4] [5]
Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo was born on 5 September 1965, into the family of Chief and Mrs. Awhowho Ewhrudjakpo in Ofoni at Sagbama, then Eastern Region. He attended the Ebikimiye Primary School, Kpakiama where he graduated in 1976, he continued his education at Government College Bomadi in 1982 and later completed his secondary education at Community Secondary School, Ofoni where he obtained his West African School Certificate (WASC) in 1987. He obtained a diploma in community health at Rivers State College of Health Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, between 1989 and 1991. He also attended the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt between 1991 and 1996 where he obtained a Bachelor of Science (B. Sc.) in secretarial administration. In 1998, He obtained his Master's in Business Administration and also obtained an MBA, Management Option in 2000 at Rivers State University of Science and Technology. He later studied law between 2002 and 2007 at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology and was called to the bar in 2009.[6] He was conferred Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Human Rights and Labour Law on 16th December 2023 by the Rivers State University of Science and Technology.
On 4 October 2018, He was announced as the winner of the PDP Bayelsa West primary election.[7] In the 23 February 2019 Bayelsa West senatorial election, Ewhrudjakpo was announced winner having defeated Mathew Karimo of the APC having polled 49,912 votes as Karimo polled 20,219 votes[8] [9] [10] Ewhurdjakpo was picked as the running mate to Douye Diri in the Bayelsa state governorship election. In the 16 November 2019, Bayelsa Governorship Election, the candidate of the APC, David Lyon was declared winner having polled 352,552 votes to defeat Douye Diri, who polled 143,172 votes.[11] [12]
On Thursday, 13 February 2020, the supreme court in Abuja ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to the All Progressives Congress candidate David Lyon as his running mate Degi Eremienyo Wangagra was found guilty of presenting false certificates. The court also asked INEC to issue a new certificate of return to the candidate of the party with the next highest votes and with the required constitutional spread of votes.[13] [14]
On 21 February 2020, An Area Court in Lugbe Abuja ordered the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate the allegation of forgery of a National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) certificate levelled against Ewhrudjakpo.[15] [16] [17]