After months of speculations and permutations, stakeholders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom, comprising major and leading political chieftains from the three senatorial districts, have accepted a member of the state Executive Council to succeed Gov Udom Emmanuel in 2023.
He is Pastor Umo Eno, who is currently the commissioner for lands and water resources and an indigene of Nsit Ubium Local Government Area.
Eno was unveiled at a well-attended PDP Stakeholders’ Meeting which took place, Sunday, at the Governor’s Lodge, in Uyo, where a former governor, Obong Victor Attah, made the formal presentation to the stakeholders, who all applauded the choice and pledged to work towards his emergence as governor of the state come 2023.
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Eno spoke passionately and emotionally about how he grew up in the police barracks and how dreary and challenging those days were, but he summed up hope to overcome those difficulties.
He said he was grateful to God and to Governor Emmanuel for finding him worthy of the onerous task to lead the people of the state and continue the people-focused and developmental strides of Governor Emmanuel.
Bishop Uma Ukpai and the Prelate Emeritus of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Dr. Sunday Mbang, prayed for his success, a sentiment that was re-echoed by the Oku Ibom Ibibio and chairman of the State Council of Chiefs, Ntenyin Solomon Etuk.
Present at the event were the deputy governor, Mr. Moses Ekpo, MFR; Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey; Senators Akon Eyakenyi, Effiong Bob, Emmanuel Ibok Essien, Aloysius Etok; former deputy governor, Engr Etim Okpoyo; Member, representing Etinan Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Barr Onofiok Luke and the State PDP chairman, Elder Aniekan Akpan.
Others were the national coordinator of the Maintain Peace Movement (MPM), Barrister Emmanuel Enoidem; Member representing Eket Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Hon Pat Ifon, and Member, PDP BOT, Chief Nduese Essien, a former minister of housing; Nigeria’’s former Ambassador to Russia, Ambassador Assam Assam, SAN; Fathers of Faith and other leading members of the state’s political class. (The Pioneer)
