The Bayelsa State deputy governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has been commended for his forthrightness, outspokenness and passion for promoting the common good.
Class 98 Old students of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Nkpolu, Port Harcourt, resident in Bayelsa gave the commendation during a solidarity visit to the deputy governor in Government House , Yenagoa.
A statement by the senior special assistant on Media to the deputy governor, Mr Doubara Atasi, described the visit as a convivial class reunion where speaker after speaker testified to the kindness, intelligence and progressive-mindedness of Senator Ewhrudjakpo.
Leader of the delegation, Mrs Florence Kenibara, congratulated him on his emergence as the deputy governor, describing it as a divine arrangement for the state.
She appreciated God for elevating one of them to such an exalted position, noting that Senator Ewhrudjakpo’s rise from civil servant, commissioner, senator and now to deputy governor could only have been made possible by God.
Going down memory lane, Mrs Kenebara said Senator Ewhrudjakpo exhibited superlative academic performance as a course mate in the Secretarial Administration Department of the university, which earned him nicknames such as ‘the great tutor’ and ‘Professor’.
She said: I’m happy today, that God has further elevated him from being a senator to a deputy governor. You have made us proud and it is our prayer that God will take you higher and higher.
“We knew ourselves in the University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt. We studied together. He was very intelligent so he used to teach us after our lecturers had left. So, he became our great tutorial lecturer.
“We were admitted in the same year and graduated together. We became very close because we are both from the same state and local government area, precisely from Sagbama.”
In his remarks, Alabo Sam Amabebe, described the Bayelsa number two man as a kind and highly intelligent man who is always ready to assist in solving problems.
Alabo Amabebe expressed confidence that Senator Ewhrudjakpo would provide all necessary support to Governor Douye Diri to achieve the set objectives of the ‘Prosperity Administration.’
According to him, “He is a very nice man. When once he knows you, he takes you as his relation. Whatever help you need, he assists you, if it is within his reach.
“He was very brilliant in class and always likes finding solutions to problems. I believe he will do very well as a deputy governor if Bayelsans give him the needed support.”
Also speaking, Mrs Meremubio Ikio, called on Bayelsans to shun rumour mongering and engage themselves in meaningful activities that would move the state forward.
Mrs Ikio cautioned, “Our people should do away with this pull him down syndrome and habit of rumour mongering because it will take us nowhere. I know Mr Ewhrudjakpo that is deputy Governor today very well.
“We graduated together in 1998. In fact, we were to graduate in the 1995/96 session but we couldn’t do so because of a prolonged ASUU strike during the Abacha administration.”
Responding, the deputy governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo expressed gratitude to members of the Class 98 Secretarial Administration students of the Rivers State University for sustaining the warm relationship several years after graduation.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo particularly thanked the delegation for the visit and assured them of his determination to make his Alma Mater proud wherever he finds himself in life.
The deputy governor who promised to host an enlarged meeting of the group after the COVID-19 saga, enjoined his visitors to pass the message to other course mates in Rivers State and beyond.