The Akwa Ibom State Government has refuted reports claiming that Governor Umo Eno ordered the withdrawal of security personnel attached to his predecessor, Udom Emmanuel.
Addressing journalists at the Government House in Uyo, the Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah, described the allegations as false, misleading, and politically motivated.
Umanah clarified that the deployment or withdrawal of police officers does not fall under the authority of any governor.
“The deployment, reassignment, or withdrawal of police officers is the exclusive responsibility of the Inspector-General of Police and the Commissioner of Police in each state, not the duty of any governor,” he stated.
He further stressed that Governor Eno had issued no directive concerning the removal of security operatives assigned to the former governor.
“I can tell you on good authority that Governor Umo Eno did not issue any directive to withdraw security operatives from the immediate past governor,” Umanah said.
According to the commissioner, all former governors of Akwa Ibom State continue to enjoy their security details as legally approved.
“To the best of our knowledge, there has been no complaint or report from any former governor or their media aides about the withdrawal of security personnel. The rumour exists only in the imagination of those peddling it,” he added.
Umanah urged the public to dismiss what he described as “baseless propaganda,” reiterating that Governor Eno remains focused on fostering peace, unity, and good governance in the state.
Although former Governor Udom Emmanuel played a major role in Umo Eno’s emergence as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in 2023, reports suggest that their relationship has grown tense in recent months following Eno’s alleged defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
What you should know
Udom Emmanuel served as Akwa Ibom governor from 2015 to 2023 and was instrumental in Umo Eno’s rise to power.
While rumours of political tension between the two have circulated since Eno’s alleged move to the APC, both men have publicly avoided direct confrontation.
