It has been a mixed bag of uneasy calm and a surprise as Governor Udom Emmanuel announced Umo Eno, his commissioner for lands and water resources as his preferred successor as governor of the state.
Udom presented Eno, commissioner for Lands and Water Resources to stakeholders at a meeting in Uyo, the state capital and later unveiled him as his successor.
Since the announcement was made, it has been greeted with mixed reactions with opinions divided on the choice even though he will still have to go through the primaries of the party to emerge as its flag bearer and why he was chosen.
First to react was Onofiok Like, a member of the House of Representatives, himself a governorship aspirant who said he was present at the stakeholders meeting but was never informed about the agenda.
According to him, he honoured the invitation from the governor “out of respect and as a loyal party man. I honoured an innocent invitation from the governor for a meeting this evening at the lodge,” adding that “Umo Eno was presented as the choice of the governor for succession.”
Read also: Udom settles for Umo Eno as successor in 2023
“It was at the said meeting that I heard of the agenda and choice for the first time and no one held any discussion with me prior to the meeting;
“I am not against the choice of the governor coming from my local government, federal constituency nor the aspiration of my brother.
“However, as a fellow aspirant from the same local government at the same advantage when successful, my aspiration to serve the state in the capacity of governor remains on course.”
He urged his supporters to note that “we are as resolute as ever in our desire to give our people purposeful leadership in the office of the governor come 2023.”
Also, another aspirant, Ezekiel Nya Etok congratulated Eno on his selection as the governor’s successor but advised him to “keep your eyes on the ball as there is still primaries of your party that will greatly determine the strength of the army that you will use to face the real election battle.”
Nya Etok who said he would be contesting on the platform of African Democratic Congress (ADC) urged other aspirants to align or continue with their aspiration, saying the governor had the choice to stay neutral or have his preferred aspirant.
“Just as much as you should respect the right of the governor, he also must respect your right to agree or disagree with him,” saying it “will be the first major step of the PDP in conflict management.”
According to reports, it was former governor Victor Attah who presented Umo Eno during the stakeholders meeting where he was eventually unveiled as Udom’s success.
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