Henshaw Nyong writes that Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has directed disloyal aides serving in his government to resign forthwith or be forced out.
“…Everybody will not agree with us, and that is understood and that is allowed, but what we will not tolerate is for people to believe that they can be in government and be working against the government…Every action carries a consequence. And I say it again: either you carefully and quietly leave, and we will be glad to receive resignations, than to stay inside and begin to rock the boat. We will not tolerate it, and that is the truth.”
Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom state issued the stern warning recently in Uyo while addressing government appointees, stakeholders and senior bureaucrats at the swearing-in of Mrs. Elsie Anietie Peters as the new Head of Civil Service.
The warning came barely 24 hours after two of his aides were relieved of their appointments over alleged acts of disloyalty.
The governor who emphasized on the subject of loyalty, anchored his position on biblical teachings, noting that stewardship demands faithfulness, not convenience.
Quoting from the Bible 1 Corinthians 4:2, he reminded political appointees that “it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful,” insisting that loyalty remains the irreducible minimum for anyone privileged to serve.
He explained that Scripture does not permit divided allegiance, pointing to Matthew 6:24; “no man can serve two masters” – and Amos 3:3; “can two walk together except they agree?”
The Governor said such principles apply not only to spiritual responsibilities but also to public service.
He stressed that those who dine at the government’s table must be prepared to stand with its vision, and that anyone unwilling to do so is free to step aside.
“There are people who eat at the table of the king yet feel comfortable working against the same king. That era is over,” he said. “Faithfulness and loyalty are not negotiable. They are universal standards.”
Eno warned that while his administration prioritises peace, it should not be mistaken for weakness.
“Those who think they can try our resolve to maintain peace should rethink. Meekness is not weakness. I got this job on the mandate of Akwa Ibom people, and I will discharge it till the very last day,” he said.
Turning to the welfare of workers, the Governor restated his commitment to a civil service-friendly administration. He recalled that he inherited gratuity arrears of N110 billion covering 2012 to May 2023 and has, in two and a half years, cleared N75.2 billion of that backlog.
“This month alone, I released another N1.3 billion. We have cleared arrears from 2012 to March 2021. We have two years left, 2022 and 2023, before we start clearing obligations accrued under our own tenure,” he said.
Eno thanked President Bola Tinubu for supporting the State with resources for capital and recurrent obligations, adding that such interventions have made ongoing development possible.
He reaffirmed his administration’s support for President Tinubu’s reforms and encouraged all progress-minded citizens to join in building a stable State.
On labour relations, the governor noted that Akwa Ibom enjoys one of the most cooperative labour–government partnerships in the country, stressing that salaries and pensions have remained timely.
Earlier, Eno congratulated the new Head of Civil Service, Mrs. Elsie Anietie Peters, describing her as the seventh Head of Civil Service in the State and the fourth woman to hold the office.
He also applauded the immediate past Head of Service, Elder Effiong Essien, for aligning the civil service with the ARISE Agenda and driving reforms aimed at creating a lean, professional, ICT-driven workforce.
-Nyong writes from Uyo.
