By Ekemini Simon
What is Governor Umo Eno really turning Akwa Ibom State into?
Today, he is expected to present the 2026 Appropriation Bill to the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly. Yet, the 2025 Supplementary Budget passed into law and assented to since October has still not been published for citizens to see.
This is not a clerical delay. It is never a harmless oversight. It is clearly a fundamental breach of public trust.
It is an indisputable fact that the government that withholds budget documents is a government that deliberately blinds its people. It shuts the door against scrutiny, buries accountability, and invites suspicion.
It is very disturbing that in this era that transparency is the bare minimum, Akwa Ibom people are forced to ask basic questions that should already be answered in black and white.
The level at which this administration is handling the State’s financial records is, quite frankly, disgraceful. It is far below any international best practice and contradicts the spirit and letter of fiscal responsibility law of the State. Needless to mention that under the administration of Governor Umo Eno, the Budget Implementation Reports have been reduced to a 3-page summary. The people of the State no longer know the gaps in revenue generation and how their money is spent. Beyond Akwa Ibom and Rivers State, no State in Nigeria does this.
Let’s be clear. Budgets are public documents. Publishing them is not a favour. It is an obligation.
So what exactly is Governor Umo Eno trying to hide? Why should citizens walk in darkness while their money is being spent especially in the season of windfall? Why must the people of Akwa Ibom beg, plead, or agitate for what is already their right?
A state that once prided itself on structure, order and transparency now seems trapped in a dark cloud of secrecy. And unless something changes boldly and urgently, Akwa Ibom may be drifting into a governance culture where opacity is normalised and celebrated making accountability become a luxury.
The State Assembly cannot be excused over this irregularity. For failing to act to correct matters, they are clearly wanting in their oversight responsibility.
The Governor may present the 2026 Proposed Budget today, but the question that will echo far beyond the Assembly complex is simple and clear:
If you cannot publish yesterday’s budget, why should we trust tomorrow’s?
