Dr Bassey Okon’s sack: Fear grips ‘Udom’s Commissioners’
By Moses Tom
Sequel to the sack of the Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr Bassey Okon, there are palpable fears in Governor Umo Eno’s cabinet, especially among the commissioners he inherited from his predecessor, Udom Emmanuel.
Dr Bassey Okon was part of former governor Udom Emmanuel’s cabinet that left undissolved before Pastor Umo Eno took over as Governor of Akwa Ibom State on 29th May, 2023.
He was unceremoniously relieved on Monday, 10th June, 2024 as the State Commissioner for Special Duties by Governor Umo Eno without stating his offence.
A statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah, directed Dr Bassey Okon to hand over to the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, adding that the SSG will now oversee the ministry.
Dr. Bassey Bassey Okon who hails from Itu Local Government Area, was appointed Commissioner for Special Duties and Deep Seaport under ex-Governor Udom Emmanuel in March 2022 following the resignation of Mr Akan Okon.
A fellow of Nigeria Society of Engineers (FNSE), Governor Umo retained him as Commissioner for Special Duties, July 2023 alongside almost all the other commissioners that worked with Udom Emmanuel.
Governor Umo Eno reportedly decided to retain them as compensation for their contributions towards his emergence in 2023.
Governor Umo Eno’s decision to adopt ex-governor Udom Emmanuel’s cabinet did not go down well with some of his key supporters, especially his kinsmen from Nsit Ubium Local Government Area.
The GuideNews.ng gathered that some stakeholders were so furious that they took the matter to Obong Victor Attah who criticized Udom Emmanuel for leaving his cabinet undissolved to be inherited by his successor.
But Pastor Umo Eno reportedly offered to allow ‘Udom’s Commissioners’ to stay for one year before relieving them.
There were insinuations that Governor Umo Eno have been starving the ministries manned by the commissioners inherited from ex-governor Udom Emmanuel’s administration as some of them allegedly acting as figureheads.
After the one year anniversary of his administration, Governor Umo Eno had purportedly been under pressure to sack ‘Udom’s Commissioners’.
Observers say Dr Bassey Okon’s sack is a hand writing on the wall, an indication that their days are numbered.
“With Monday’s action by the governor, there are emerging signals that having spent one year with Eno, other commissioners brought into the present government from the Udom’s government will also go, to pave the way for fresh nominees,” one newspaper noted.
