Abandon Me at Public Functions, Face Sack Umo Eno Warns Appointees

Governor Umo Eno has warned his cabinet members that any of them who abandons him at public functions will face immediate dismissal.

The governor’s warning comes after he was reportedly left behind by some commissioners during an official engagement on Friday.

The governor was visibly upset when he discovered that some of his commissioners had disappeared after the event, leaving him to find his way back to the office or lodge unaccompanied.

Eno expressed his disappointment and frustration, stating that it is unacceptable for his commissioners to abandon him in such a manner.

Starting today, I’d like everyone to hear, because when they hear that I’ve fired the commissioner in your local government, it’s insubordination. It is wrong for the governor to go on an appointment if nobody else follows him,” the governor warned.

Eno emphasized the importance of loyalty, presence, and protocol, describing his commissioners and special advisers as his “first 11”. He reiterated that every appointee must show full commitment to the responsibilities of office and be available to attend to him at all times.

“I do not announce where I will go. It is mandatory for my commissioners to ensure that they take me either back to the office or to the lodge.

“And if I stop by anywhere, there can be issues that will be raised. So the commissioner in charge of that will attend to me,” the governor said.

The governor expressed his alarm at the growing trend of appointees disappearing after official engagements, a practice he insisted must stop.

“A situation where we go to a place, I leave the place, commissioners take off to what I don’t know. This is a full-time job, 24-7. And so if any commissioner is busy doing their thing, they are not yet ready to be commissioners,” he said.

Eno drew from his own experience as a commissioner, recalling that he never left his governor behind. He expects the same level of commitment from his team.

“I was commissioner myself. I had never left my governor behind. Today is the last day I make this statement, and I’m doing it publicly,” he said.

The governor’s warning was clear and direct: any commissioner who fails to accompany him to events or fails to ensure his safe return to the office or lodge will be fired on the spot.

“Anytime I leave an event, I stop by anywhere, let the commissioner pray that I don’t look for that commissioner. If I look for that commissioner, the commissioner is not there, the commissioner will lose his or her job right there and then,” he said.

Eno also cautioned his cabinet members not to mistake his simplicity for weakness, reminding them that his election was a product of overwhelming public support.

“This has to stop. We are running a government. And the fact that I’m simple doesn’t mean that I’m an appointed governor. I’m an elected governor with overwhelming votes of the Akwa Ibom people. And if we are not ready to work for the people, then we should stay at home. That’s a clear warning,” he said.