2027 Elections: Gov Eno Urges Exco Members With Electoral Aspirations To Resign

By Bassey Nkponam 
UYO
Akwa Ibom governor has urged members of the state executive council who are desirous of contesting in the forthcoming 2027 general elections to resign their appointment.
Pastor Umo Eno, who gave the directive on Thursday, during the State Executive Council meeting, which took place at the State Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Uyo, advised those with aspirations for elective offices to honourably resign and take a leave in accordance with the Electoral Act.  
The commissioner for information, Dr Aniekan Umanah, who made this known in an excerpt from Thursday’s State Executive Council meeting, signed by him, hinted that the council considered three Finance and General Purpose Committee (FGPC) memoranda presented by the secretary to the State government, Prince Enobong Uwah, and ratified 39 projects, including 27 road projects covering over 167 kilometres across the State. 
These, he said, included award of contract for the dualisation and construction of a six-lane, 36 kilometre Nung Udoe–Afaha Offiong–Ikot Imo–Itreto Road, with bridges, outfall drains and solar lighting, awarded to Hensek Integrated Services Limited; the construction of 7.6 kilometre Ikwe–Odio Road linking Onna and Eket Local Government Areas, with outfall drains and solar street lighting, awarded to Orenburg Construction Limited; dualisation of 7.64 kilometre Ndon Eyo–Ikot Akpatek Road in Onna Local Government Area, awarded to Eighteenth Engineering Limited; the construction of 4.0 kilometre Ekom Iman Junction–Afia Nsit–Nduo Eduo–Mbiokporo Road in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area, awarded to Techno Impex Synergy Limited, as well as other projects across the State.
Umanah said in a bid to build a society where older persons receive holistic care and actively participate in socio-economic life, council considered a memorandum presented by the executive assistant and chief delivery advisor on the Akwa Ibom State Policy on Aging, and approved the adoption and implementation of the Aging Policy in line with the ARISE Agenda of the Eno-led administration. 
According to him, the Governor-in-Council had directed that the Senior Citizens Establishment Bill 2026, be forwarded to the State House of Assembly to provide legal framework for the care and welfare of the elderly, including provisions for the management of the Oluremi Senior Citizens Centre.
The information boss said the State Exco received and reviewed a report from the commissioner for agriculture on the impact of the N2 billion agricultural grant and applauded the positive outcomes recorded, particularly in the expansion of farm sizes and output, increased procurement of inputs such as feeds, fertilizers and farm machinery, growth in agro-processing activities, improved income levels among beneficiaries, and a reduction in the cost per ton of cassava.
He explained that council also received a report from the commissioner for trade and investment, Dr Ubong Inyang, on the N2 billion Traders’ Grant, noting the positive impact of the programme on overall business growth and improved livelihoods of the people.
According to him, in a bid to ensure the implementation of the ARISE-GIFA solar powered Braithwaite storage tank rural water project across the 369 wards of the State, council reviewed the implementation plan and directed modifications including community inclusion in the maintenance structure of the project upon delivery.
He said the Governor-in-Council inaugurated the steering committee on ward level cooperative societies with the mandate to provide strategic policy direction, coordination, and oversight for the newly established cooperative societies across the 369 wards. 
The committee, as stated in the excerpt, is chaired by the deputy governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, with the special adviser, Bureau of Cooperatives and Rural Development as secretary; while the commissioner for women affairs and social welfare, Mrs Inibehe Silas Etukudo; commissioner for agriculture, Dr Offiong Offor; commissioner for humanitarian affairs, Princess Emem Ibanga; commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, Mkpisong Frank Archibong; commissioner for science and digital economy, Dr Frank Ekpenyong; commissioner for information, Dr Aniekan Umanah; State woman leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC; permanent secretary, Bureau of Cooperatives and Rural Development, as well as the dean, College of Personal Assistants, are members.
Umanah emphasised that the committee is tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that cooperatives serve as effective vehicles for poverty alleviation, food security and rural transformation.