A media aide in the office of the Political Adviser to Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has been dismissed following a Facebook post in which he suggested that President Bola Tinubu should resign over the country’s challenges.
The aide, Osborne Okon, was relieved of his appointment on Tuesday through a letter signed by the Political Adviser to the Governor, Godwin Ntuk Udeh.
According to the letter, the dismissal was based on “actions bordering on disloyalty” and the need to maintain the integrity of the office.
The letter stated that Okon’s appointment had been terminated with immediate effect.
“Following actions bordering on disloyalty and considering the necessity to always keep the Office of the Political Adviser purified, it has become compelling that you Mr Osborne Ubong Okon be and is hereby relieved of your engagement as a Media Aide to the Political Adviser to His Excellency the Governor, with immediate effect and from today 2nd June 2026,” the letter read.
The dismissal came shortly after Okon criticised President Tinubu’s leadership in a Facebook post.
“In a sane clime president Bola Ahmed Tinubu would’ve respectfully and honourably resigned. I’m of APC, but truth be told,” he wrote.
Tinubu is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the same party Okon said he belongs to.
The development has attracted attention because Governor Umo Eno defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC last year and publicly pledged support for Tinubu and the party.
Reacting to the dismissal, Okon said he only became aware of the decision after associates informed him that the letter was circulating online.
Speaking with NewsNectarNG, he described the manner of his removal as “insulting” and “embarrassing.”
“I feel highly insulted and embarrassed because I do not know what the problem is,” he said.
“Someone drew my attention to my sack online as I wasn’t aware. A big man in the state called me and asked why I was relieved of my duties. I told him I wasn’t aware, and he asked me to check social media. When I logged into Facebook, I saw the letter everywhere,” he added.
Okon said he was surprised by the allegation of disloyalty contained in the letter.
“I was shocked when I read through the letter and saw him say I was sacked due to disloyalty. I asked myself what could prompt him to say that I was disloyal when I was in the office yesterday,” he said.
He explained that his relationship with Udeh existed before the 2023 governorship election and was based on a verbal agreement rather than a formal appointment letter.
The former aide said he remained in the position despite receiving a monthly stipend of ₦65,000 because he believed it could lead to better opportunities in the future.
He said, “I wasn’t working for salary. I was working for better days ahead.
“I was being paid ₦65,000 monthly, but that was not why I was there. Honestly, ₦65,000 is not even worth a take-home in today’s economy. If money was my priority, I would have left long ago or complained.”
Okon also criticised the manner in which the decision was communicated, saying his former principal should have discussed any concerns with him privately.
Despite his dismissal, he maintained that he remains loyal to the APC and Governor Eno’s administration.
“As an APC loyalist, I will continue to support Governor Umo Eno and his ARISE Agenda while continually mobilising support for the governor and ensuring that he returns for a second term,” he said.
