Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has dismissed media reports suggesting that his first daughter, Helen Eno-Obareki, has been appointed as the First Lady of the state.
During a statement made on Sunday at All Nations Christian Ministry International, Eket, Governor Eno clarified that the role of First Lady is not something that can be appointed.
He explained that his daughter, who had served as a close assistant to her late mother, is simply continuing her mother’s work by coordinating the Office of the First Lady.
“Please listen to me and listen well, First Ladies are not appointed, they come with the Governor,” Governor Eno emphasized.
“Our daughter, Mrs. Helen Obareki, will coordinate the office of the First Lady. She had been with her mother from the beginning, and you heard the First Lady of the Nation, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, say ‘The mother introduced her to me.’
“So appointing her as the Coordinator is not an appointment of a First Lady. You don’t appoint a First Lady,” he reiterated.
Governor Eno elaborated that the decision to have Obareki coordinate the office was a natural one, aimed at ensuring the continuity of important projects initiated by the late First Lady.
He stressed the significance of her ongoing involvement in the Golden Initiative for All (GIFA), a pet project of the late First Lady, along with other support programmes for women, the elderly, and the less privileged.
“This is not political, it is natural,” he remarked. “All I pray for is support and wisdom for her to be able to ensure that none of those programmes will die and that she will bring more insight and innovation to the Office.”
Governor Eno also shared his hope that his daughter’s experience and close relationship with her late mother would provide continuity and stability for the office.
He noted that her presence, education, and exposure make her well-suited for the role. “There must be a coordinator, and it must be someone that I see daily, someone that can walk into my room and brief me, not a distant person,” he added.
Governor Eno further expressed his gratitude to Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her condolence visit and her acknowledgment of Obareki’s role as Coordinator.
He also thanked the Church for its consolatory messages and urged them to find solace in the word of God rather than in hopeless emotional expressions.
Governor Eno however assured the people of Akwa Ibom that his administration remains committed to continuing the legacy of his late wife’s initiatives and providing support to the vulnerable groups in the state.
