AKWA IBOM COUNCILLORS BOO UMO ENO, ENOIDEM AT RETREAT

* Accuse them of insensitivity!

Feelers from the much-advertised “leadership retreat” for councillors in Akwa Ibom State reportedly ended in ignominy for Governor Udom Emmanuel‘s preferred governorship hopeful, Mr Umo Eno and his team.

The two-day event, which came to a close on Sunday (May 15, 2022) evening at Ibom Icon Hotel and Golf Resort, Uyo, according to one of the councillors who pleaded anonymity, went well until Mr Eno and his team started throwing jabs at the councillors for alleged non-performance.

Governor Emmanuel, while opening the programme themed: “Leadership for Service and Victory”,  had spoken about “loyalty as an essential leadership virtue” that can stand them out in future.

However, Mr Emmanuel Enoidem, the National President of Maintain Peace Movement (MPM), the government-bankrolled campaign structure for Umo Eno, was said to have infuriated the councillors with a remark they considered “insulting and insensitive”.

According to our source, Enoidem 

started the whole problem when he tried comparing the performances of councillors during Gov Godswill Akpabio’s era and those of the current dispensation.

“He was booed when he chastised councillors for their inability to do any constituency project during their tenure as he recalled how life-touching projects were rampant during Akpabio's regime”, our source said.

Enoidem who was a commissioner for eight years under Akpabio,  reportedly  recalled going to commission some borehole projects executed by  the then councillors in Ika, among others. 

“It was the height of insult and insensitivity from someone who very well knows the true situation of things in this government. We the councillors felt insulted. We were infuriated as no money has been released for us since the inception of this regime for projects in our constituencies, not to talk of our statutory entitlements being paid”, the source said. 

But, as if they had not been provoked enough for one evening, aspirant Umo Eno reportedly worsened the situation when he demanded “absolute loyal” from the councillors, claiming  they were all done a favour by the governor in having them as councillors, as they “never purchased forms to stand for election”. 

This,  the already upset councillors did not take kindly, resulting in a rancourous atmosphere, which lasted till the close of event, it was learnt.

Some of the councillors, it was learnt, openly shouted Umo Eno down, insisting that they paid N550, 000 each for their forms and another N400,000 for other incidentals before they could stand election. 

According to our source, the councillors challenged Mr Eno to verify his source of information before bringing it to public domain. They also expressed dismay as to why such lies should be told against them, wondering what will happened, if by misadventure he becomes the governor.

On Febrary 3, 2022, local government and ward officials of PDP had similarly openly booed Enoidem at the state PDP secretariat, when he tried to present Umo Eno to them as the governor’s choice.

Reports said the boo and caterwauling were so deafening that the governor, who was present, after a failed attempt to calm frayed nerves, was forced to adjourn the meeting abruptly.

Pundits observed that the reaction of the councillors signalled a continuing rejection of Mr Umo Eno, despite a huge chunk of state resources expended to ensure his acceptability.