Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa says he has directed an autopsy after the death of the state’s Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.

Diri made the disclosure on Saturday while hosting former President Goodluck Jonathan at the Government House, Yenagoa.

Ewhrudjakpo breathed his last after collapsing in his office on Thursday. He was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa and was pronounced dead on arrival.

Speaking on his deputy’s demise, Governor Diri criticised what he referred to as “a lot of nonsense going on on social media”, chiding those involved against politicising Ewhrudjakpo’s passing.

“I want to make an appeal. I have seen people politicise his death. In Ijaw land, there is no enmity in death. Let nobody politicise the death of our dearly beloved deputy governor. If anyone loves him, this is the time to show it.

“I have directed that an autopsy be done to reveal the cause of his death. There is a lot of nonsense going on social media.

“If anybody is issuing any statement to eulogise him, please end at that and mourn him because the state is in a mourning mood.

“That is why we have declared three working days of mourning, and we expect everyone in the state to do what the former president has done today.

“Let us love one another to the point of death because all of us will answer this call one day,” Diri said. (The Sun, excluding headline)