Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has taken a jab at the President of the Nigerian Senate, Chief Godswill Akpabio, saying it is demeaning to finish serving as a governor of a state and go on to contest for the senate.
Mr Eno, who made the remarks, Monday, September 15, during a one-day business concept note workshop and opening ceremony for applicants of Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programme (EAP) 4.0, stated that after the expiration of his tenure as governor of Akwa Ibom State, he will not contest for a seat in the Nigerian Senate.
“How can I finish as a governor, governing the entire state and then go and run for the senate where I will be raising my hand. Except I want to be a senate president and I know they don’t give the senate president to first timers. Except if they change the rules. If they change the rules, then I can think of it. But so long as the rules have not changed, how will I finish governing three senatorial districts and go and be raising my hands. Then they will say keep down your hands or you go one money and they have changed your position. And they say you are no more sitting there, this is where you are sitting”, Governor Eno said.
Since the return of democratic government in 1999, only one former governor of the State, Chief Godswill Akpabio, who served between 2007 and 2015, has transited to senate.
Our checks show that during the Senate Plenary of 17th October, 2018, the then Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, had ordered Akpabio to change his seat following his resignation as the Senate Majority Leader, before he was recognised to speak.
“Senator Akpabio, former majority leader, you know you can’t speak from there. Go to your seat; when you go to your seat, I will recognise you,” Mr Saraki ordered which led to an outburst from Akpabio. “Senator Akpabio, you cannot speak from there,” Saraki insisted following Akpabio’s outbursts and refusal to change his seat.
Political stakeholders and observers in the state believe that Mr Eno’s jab at Akpabio is not unconnected to the current cold war between the duo, which according to them, will soon escalate as 2027 draws closer.
It can be recalled that Governor Eno had recently ordered Chairmen of Councils in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District which is the home base of the Senate President, from attending a meeting convened by Akpabio in his country home, Ukana West, Essien Udim Local Government.
