-says he is not for political gamesmanship.
By Shadrach Okon
Governor Umo Eno has reminded his critics that his duty is to give good governance to Akwa Ibom people rather than engaging in political gamesmanship.
Governor Eno made this known in a press release signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor to refute an advertorial by a faceless political group called Concerned Members of the All Progressives Congress in Akwa Ibom State who go about blackmailing the governor.
The Chief Press Secretary to the governor in his Press Release to refute such blackmail said: “Our attention has been drawn to an advertorial published in The Nation newspaper of January 22, 2025, by an amorphous group that goes by the name: Concerned Members of the All Progressives Congress in Akwa Ibom State, where the authors, in what was purely a politically motivated hatchet job, maliciously concocted a rich cocktail of lies and blackmail against the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, PhD.”
The Press Release noted that the intent of such advertorial was to strain the warm relationship between the Governor and President Tinubu, the Senate President and the Minister of Petroleum.
“The undisguised intent of the purveyors of the inane advertorial was to cause a strain in the widely acknowledged warm relationship the Governor enjoys with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and, by extension, the Senate President, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON, and the Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources (Gas), ObongEmem Ekperikpe Ekpo.”
The Press Release described the claims in the advertorial as outlandish and obtuse.
“Some of the lies and falsehoods they pushed in the advertorial are so outlandish and obtuse that we can’t even repeat them here.
We, however, wish to state categorically that Governor Umo Eno, PhD, has not formed any such clandestine alliance as the group falsely and maliciously stated.”
The release noted with dismay that such advertorial was meant to distract the President was going around the nation to support his bold economic plans which Governor Eno is strongly in support.
“It is unfortunate to note that while President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, is rallying the nation to support his bold and audacious economic plans aimed at taking our nation out of the current economic challenges—which Governor Umo Eno has enthusiastically and openly endorsed and has severally canvassed support for—this faceless group could maliciously concoct such lies, falsehoods, and blackmail against the Governor.”
The release stated that the such faceless group hate the peace spirit of bipartisan of the governor.
“It is obvious that the promoters of this faceless group hate the current peace, amity, and spirit of bipartisanship which Governor Eno has promoted in the State.
This spirit of working across party lines certainly has canceled out their deeply entrenched selfish interest of stoking tensions in the State, and thereafter profiting from the chaos and unnecessary political wars they had helped ignite.”
The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Ekerette Udoh categorically stated that Governor is in full support of President Bola Tinubu and maintains robust relationship with the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
“Truth be told, Governor Eno is focused on working collaboratively with the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government, the National Assembly led by Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, our son, to achieve the Arise Agenda for the betterment of the people of Akwa Ibom State. This is the time for governance and not for political gamesmanship.
Governor Eno respects and supports President Tinubu, GCFR, and believes that if his administration succeeds, we all succeed. He will continue to support the President as well as the Senate President, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON.”
The release equally added that Governor Eno, “…enjoys a warm relationship with the Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources (Gas), ObongEmem Ekperikpe Ekpo, and both are working together to bring development to the State, especially in the oil and gas sector, of which Akwa Ibom State is a leading producer.”
The Press Release called on the faceless group to rather applaud and support such robust relationship rather than using it to score cheap political goals.
“This great collaboration should be applauded rather than being pilloried by a faceless group of political jobbers to score cheap political points.
The insidious and malicious advertorial should be dismissed for what it represents: a hatchet job by enemies of peace and tranquility.”
