Ahead of the 2023 governorship election in Akwa Ibom State, the governor of the state, Udom Emmanuel has picked his successor.
The governor picked the commissioner of Lands and Water Resources, Pastor Umo Eno, as the preferred candidate to succeed him as Governor in 2023.
A stakeholders meeting was convened at the Government House on Sunday evening for the sole purpose of presenting Umo Eno as the governor’s choice.
Only selected stakeholders from each of the 31 LGAs were invited for the meeting via a text message by the National Secretary of Maintain Peace Movement (MPM), Prince Enobong Uwah.
Members of the state House of Assembly who had travelled to Port Harcourt yesterday for a retreat had to hurriedly return to the state today in order to meet up with the meeting, though the invitation was extended to only the leadership of the assembly.
Some guber aspirants like Senator Bassey Albert, Akan Okon and their loyalists were not invited.
Newsflash Nigeria understands that another aspirant, Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke who was at the meeting was denied the opportunity to make comments when he raised his hands.
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Newsflash Nigeria understands that the opening prayer was offered by a governorship aspirant from Nsit Ubium, Senator Effiong.
Former Governor, Obong Victor Attah, made the formal presentation of the governor’s successor to the stakeholders, which comprised major and leading political chieftains from the three senatorial districts, who all applauded the choice and pledged to work towards his emergence as the governor of the state come 2023.
Speaking after his presentation, Eno narrated how he grew up in the police barracks and how challenging those days were, but he summoned hope to overcome those difficulties.
He said he was grateful to God and Emmanuel for finding him worthy of the onerous task to lead the people of the state and continue the people-focused and developmental strides.
Bishop Uma Ukpai and the Prelate Emeritus of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Dr. Sunday Mbang, prayed for his success, a prayer that was re-echoed by the Oku Ibom Ibibio and Chairman of State Council of Chiefs, Ntenyin Solomon Etuk.
Among those who attended 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, Ibok Essien, Aloysius Etok, former Deputy Governor, Etim Okpoyo; member representing Etinan Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Onofiok Luke; PDP chairman, Elder Aniekan Akpan; Barr Emmanuel Enoidem; the National Coordinator of the Maintain Peace Movement, Pat Ifon; member representing Eket Federal Constituency at the National Assembly and Member, PDP BOT, Chief Nduese Essien; a former Minister of Housing, Ambassador Assam Assam, SAN; Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Russia, Fathers of Faith, and other leading members of the state’s political class.
