From Isaac Job, Uyo
The Senior Special Assistant to Akwa Ibom state governor on Research and Documentation, Dr Essien Ndueso, has said that recent media campaign attacks against Governor Umo Eno were politically motivated to discredit him ahead of the 2027 governorship election in the state.
Ndueso, who was speaking on a live radio interview programme in Uyo, explained that there are fears by politicians in the state that Governor Umo Eno will secure a second term in 2027, and they are plotting to pull him down through unwarranted media attacks.
Recall that Governor Umo Eno had given out N10m to a little schoolgirl who pronounced some difficult English words, and some critics in the state kicked against such generosity, describing it as a waste of state resources on strangers.
But the governor’s aide, during a live radio programme, blasted the critics, calling them political jobbers who have resorted to throwing tantrums at Governor Umo Eno without checking their facts.
Ndueso, who faulted the accusers of the media attack, said it was purely mischievous for people to criticise Eno for rewarding a young Nigerian, Precious Bodunde, with N10m following her excellent skills at pronouncing the five longest words in the English Dictionary.
“These are the same people who had campaigned against the Governor before his election, accusing him of not being a giver. Today they are now faulting him for giving.
“Their impression is to paint a picture of a Governor who gives to outsiders at the expense of his own people, when in the actual sense he has steadily been doling out several incentives and huge packages for people, especially the downtrodden and the young creative minds in Akwa Ibom State.
“It is easy for them to feign ignorance of the donation of a ₦10 million educational grant to Master Kentimfon Ndanyongmong, winner of the 2023 Heirs Life Essay Competition.
“The Governor also last year, presented ₦79 million to be paid as fees to four Akwa Ibom students admitted to the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria.
“This is the same Governor who increased bursaries for students in public tertiary institutions from ₦10,000 to ₦20,000 for undergraduates and from ₦10,000 to ₦30,000 for specialised programmes.”
Still on education, the governor’s aide recounted that the governor also provided educational grants to all public tertiary institution students with disabilities, allocating ₦250,000 for undergraduates and ₦300,000 for professional and postgraduate students.
Ndueso said it was unfortunate that some indigenes of the state are jubilating while paid media hirelings from other parts of the country hurl stones to taint the image of the state.
“Where were these critics when Governor sponsored the training of 1,200 youths at Ibom-LED, with 800 receiving ₦500,000 each as exit grant and 400 receiving ₦750,000 each to start up their own businesses?
“Why is it difficult for the political jobbers to see the free training for 200 youths across 31 local government areas currently ongoing at the Dakkada Skills Acquisition Centre, with a monthly allowance of ₦20,000 and free accommodation and feeding to each trainee?”
Ndueso insisted that Governor Eno is the first governor in Nigeria to launch a free food programme for less privileged persons and is presently disbursing ₦750 million to 60,000 unemployed youths.
He mentioned Eno’s humanitarian instinct when he gave a physically challenged indigenous shoe manufacturer N1.5m and went on to build a block of shops for him.
“Very soon, at least 62 different young people in the state will be endowed with N5m each as part of the Governor’s efforts to boost SMEs in the state, and that will happen during the proposed town hall meetings in the ten federal constituencies of the state.
“Rather than join people to attack the good works of Umo Eno, Akwa Ibom people should market and promote the state so that outsiders can come and invest in the state.
“It is only when the people come together in unity that the required change by the government will be felt,” he said.