Akwa Ibom governor announces running mate for 2027 election

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has announced his running mate for his reelection in 2027 despite not completing half of his first term four-year mandate.

Mr Eno, at a Town Hall meeting in Oron Federal Constituency of the state on Saturday, told the people that if given the mandate, his current deputy, Akon Eyakenyi, would remain his deputy for the 2027 election.

Mrs Eyakenyi, a former senator who represented Akwa Ibom South District, hails from the area.

Mr Eno described Mrs Eyakenyi as “a very good deputy”.

He said, “Given the opportunity to run for office (in 2027) by my people, she will still be my deputy governor”. The crowd applauded Mr Eno’s remark.

“Very supportive, very cooperative deputy governor. A mother, (and) a sister. We thank you so much, Ma,” the governor said to Mrs Eyakenyi.

Second term, Town Hall meeting

Mr Eno was sworn into office as governor on 29 May 2023 and is yet to mark the first half of his four-year first term.

The governor said late last year that he would begin a tour of the 10 federal constituencies in the state in the first quarter of this year, an avenue he said would allow the people to make inputs into next year’s budget of the state.

The event, which began in Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency last month, was turned into a second-term endorsement rally for the governor by the area’s political leaders.

Political leaders in the area, particularly those from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, endorsed the governor for a second term in office at the event.

The State Executive Committee of the PDP had earlier endorsed the governor for a second term.

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On Saturday, the chairpersons of the five local government areas—Oron, Mbo, Okobo, Udung Uko, and Urue Offong Oruko—that make up the federal constituency pledged to support the governor for a second term in Oron Federal Constituency.

“So you remain our governor from 2023 to 2031 and beyond,” the Chairperson of Urue Offong Oruko Local Government Area, Uno Uno, said on behalf of his colleagues.

At the event, a former Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government, Emmanuel Ekuwem, led political leaders of the area to present a booklet containing the demands of the people of the area to the governor.

In his remark, Mr Eno assured the people that the demands would be integrated into the state’s budget for the following year but added that the budget may not accommodate all their demands.