Umo Eno's remarks at the event lent credence to a PREMIUM TIMES' report that the governor wants to build political influence across the state, using the large number of aides picked from each of the state's 368 wards.
Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, on Monday, announced fresh appointments while inaugurating 368 people he had just appointed as his personal assistants.
From the latest appointments, the political adviser to the governor is Godwin Ntukudeh, a former president of the Ibibio socio-cultural group, Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio.
Those to work with Mr Ntukudeh are Udo Kieran (Akwa Ibom North-West District), Henry Archibong (Akwa Ibom North-East), and Samuel Akpan (Akwa Ibom South District) appointed as special advisers on political matters to the governor, according to Mr Eno.
The inauguration of the 368 personal assistants was done at the Government House, Uyo.
This is the first time in the history of the 36-year-old state that a state governor would pick such a number of aides at once.
Loyalty to Governor Eno
Mr Eno's remarks at the event lent credence to a PREMIUM TIMES report that the governor wants to build political influence across the state, using the large number of aides picked from each of the state's 368 wards.
All of them are members of Governor Eno's party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
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"You are going to serve as the eye of the governor in the different wards," Mr Eno said to his new aides. "We had promised to return power to the people."
The governor said that the condition for their appointment was that all the 368 personal assistants must live within their wards. He said he would sack any of them who breach the condition or are found to have betrayed the PDP.
"Your loyalty is to the governor, not to any political camp. Go back, appeal to your people, work with them.
"Respect the party structure. I am not appointing you to go and be a political leader at your ward, there's already a political leader in your ward," he added.
A political affairs bureau, headed by a special adviser who is a cabinet member, is already in existence in Akwa Ibom.
But Governor Eno said his appointment of Mr Ntukudeh as political adviser and the other three were mainly to coordinate the work of the 368 personal assistants.
The PDP Chairperson in Akwa Ibom, Aniekan Akpan, in his remark at the event, thanked the governor for the appointments, and assured him that the 368 personal assistants would keep the PDP strong at the grassroots.
Aniefiok James, a newly appointed personal assistant to Mr Eno, who spoke on behalf of all the appointees, told the governor, "We are going back to our different wards, we are going to make sure we return you round," apparently referring to 2027 election in the state.
