Bayelsa Chief Judge Swears in Dr. Peter Akpe as Deputy Governor, 18 Permanent Secretaries, Commissioner
A constitutionally significant ceremony unfolded at the Executive Council Chambers of Government House in Yenagoa on Wednesday, as the Chief Judge of Bayelsa State, Honourable Justice Matilda Abrakasa Ayemieye, administered the oath of office to Dr. Peter Pereotubo Akpe as the sixth Deputy Governor of the state.
The solemn event, which commenced with the National Anthem and an opening prayer, set a reflective tone for the inauguration. Dr. Akpe, an ordained pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and immediate past Chief of Staff to Governor Douye Diri, formally pledged allegiance to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, vowing to serve the people of Bayelsa State with integrity, loyalty, and diligence.
PulseNets learnt that the swearing-in ceremony held on February 25, 2026, followed the unanimous confirmation of Akpe’s nomination by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly a day earlier, on February 24, 2026. His emergence as Deputy Governor fills the constitutional vacuum created by the death of the former occupant of the office, Lawrence Oborawharievwo Ewhrudjakpo, who passed away on December 11, 2025, and was laid to rest in Ofoni, Sagbama Local Government Area, on January 30, 2026.
In what government officials described as a strategic consolidation of the state’s administrative framework, 18 Permanent Secretaries and one Commissioner were also sworn in during the ceremony. PulseNets reported that the coordinated inauguration is designed to strengthen institutional capacity, enhance bureaucratic efficiency, and ensure continuity in governance under the Prosperity Administration.
Dr. Akpe’s elevation to the deputy governorship underscores a career marked by legislative and executive experience. Information obtained by PulseNets shows that he served two terms in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly between 2011 and 2019, including a tenure as Majority Leader. He previously held office as Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure during the administration of Seriake Dickson from 2008 to 2011, and has also functioned in various capacities within the civil services of Rivers and Bayelsa states. Since March 2024, he had served as Chief of Staff to Governor Diri before his nomination and confirmation.
Hailing from Ebedebiri community in Sagbama Local Government Area within the Bayelsa West Senatorial District, Dr. Akpe’s appointment preserves the existing regional equilibrium within the PDP-led government structure, as his late predecessor was from the same axis.
Governor Diri, who nominated Akpe after what he described as prayerful reflection, characterised the moment as “divinely instructive,” referencing symbolic coincidences surrounding the event. He urged the new Deputy Governor to approach his responsibilities with reverence for God, unwavering loyalty, and a steadfast commitment to the administration’s core development agenda.
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The Governor emphasised priority areas including infrastructure expansion, youth empowerment initiatives, comprehensive flood mitigation strategies, and economic diversification across the oil-producing Niger Delta state, reiterating that the stability of governance remains central to Bayelsa’s long-term prosperity.
As Bayelsa State strengthens its executive leadership and administrative architecture, political observers note that the coordinated swearing-in signals continuity, institutional resilience, and renewed focus on development-driven governance in Yenagoa.
