Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, is set to announce the dissolution of the state executive council today, Friday, January 10, 2025.
When Eno took office, he inherited all the commissioners and advisers from Emmanuel’s administration. However, in a media briefing last September, marking the state’s 37th anniversary, Eno had declared that the executive council would be dissolved to make room for a new group of professionals with fresh ideas to drive governance forward.
Many of the current commissioners have served for nearly a decade, with some having held office during former Governor Godswill Akpabio’s tenure. Sources close to the governor’s office have confirmed that today’s valedictory council meeting will mark the official dissolution of the executive council.
It was revealed that the commissioners and advisers were initially retained to compensate them for their contributions since they had not been rewarded when the last administration ended on May 29, 2023.
Last week, sources confirmed that the commissioners received a “favourable handshake” from Governor Eno, signalling the end of their tenure. Eno inherited all commissioners from his predecessor, except for Koko Essien (retd), who was appointed to head the newly created Ministry of Internal Security.
These commissioners remain in their positions, as the governor has lacked the political will to dissolve the cabinet despite his public commitment to do so. Two commissioners from the Ministry of Special Duties and the Ministry of Environment exited the executive council last year. During the Thanksgiving service on January 2, Governor Eno criticized commissioners who claimed there was “nothing beneficial in government,” yet refused to resign.
He likened them to a “nagging housewife who would say her marriage was not worth it, yet has had seven children while still in the marriage.”
At the valedictory Executive Cabinet Meeting on Friday, the governor remarked, “If you were to be changed based on non-performance, I think none of the commissioners would go. All of you have delivered, and that’s why the Arise Agenda has succeeded. But we must come to the end of one season, start another, and keep moving.”
The state government has also planned a dinner for the outgoing executive council members.
