The Governor Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno has cried out lamenting that he is under intense pressure and threat by the political class to share money or risk forfeiting his second term.
Addressing newsmen in Uyo at the weekend, Eno, appealed against what he described as ‘distraction’ from politicians, saying he was on a mission to address the challenges confronting the common people under the rural development programmes as enunciated in the ‘Arise Agenda’ blueprint of his administration.
‘I have received lot of threats from the political class that I won’t do second term. I am putting money in rural development because a good first term is better than a useless second term.
‘I don’t want to put more money in one person’s hands to the detriment of the 7.9 million population,’ he said.
Governor Eno urged politicians to exercise patience by giving him until December to put the governance structure on the right footing. He added that if the restless youths are not properly handled, rich politicians will not be able to enjoy their wealth in peace. Governor Eno described the problem of youth unemployment as a clear and present danger that must be resolved.
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He, therefore, stressed the need to create jobs for youths at the grassroots level for them to be meaningfully engaged in order to curb rural-urban migration, which he said, informed his decision to impress it on the House of Assembly to enact the law compelling local government chairmen to relocate from Uyo, the state capital, to their council areas in order to engage the youth in meaningful ventures and oversee grassroots development.
On the allegation by a section of the media of paying N20 million monthly to his political mentor and former governor Udom Emmanuel, the governor described it as a “blatant lie” deliberately orchestrated to inflame the polity so as to put him at loggerheads with his political godfather.
He wondered why people should resort to blackmail and insult on former leaders of the state who had contributed in no small measure to elevate the state to its current level.