By Solomon OKPO
Uyo, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has reaffirmed his unwavering respect for the political lineage that shaped his rise, declaring that he will never insult the leaders who nurtured his political journey.
Speaking during a critical stakeholders meeting at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Uyo, Governor Eno emphasized the importance of unity, mutual respect, and loyalty among political actors in the state. He noted that anyone who chooses to malign the state’s past and present leaders “does so at his own peril.”
“I have a political genealogy. I don’t know about you,” Governor Eno stated firmly. “I am not going to insult that genealogy. I have a Political Grandfather, I have a Political Father whom I will always relate with, and I must tell you upfront.”
Tracing his political roots, the Governor described former Governor Obong Victor Attah as his “Political Great Grandfather,” Senate President Godswill Akpabio as his “Political Grandfather,” and immediate past Governor Udom Emmanuel as his “Political Father.”
He stressed that leadership is ordained by God and called for collective reverence toward those who have held the reins of power in the state.
“They are people that God has raised for us. You may not like them. But they are there by God’s Grace and God has a reason for bringing any leader at a time,” he said.
Quoting 1 Corinthians 3:4, Governor Eno likened leadership roles to that of Paul and Apollos in the Bible — one plants, the other waters — but only God brings growth.
In a show of gratitude to the All Progressives Congress (APC) family following his recent defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Governor thanked Senate President Akpabio and his wife, along with the APC State Chairman and State Working Committee, for the warm welcome extended to him and his political allies.
“If we had a hostile reception, there is no way we would be sitting here today,” he noted, calling on all party stakeholders to work together in unity for the greater good of Akwa Ibom.
The meeting further solidified Governor Eno’s position as a bridge between past and present leadership blocs in the state, even as he urged political players to embrace reconciliation and cooperation over conflict and discord.
