President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded to the Senate for confirmation a modified list of members of the inaugural Governing Board of the North West Development Commission (NWDC) as he nominated Hon. Emeka Atuma as chairman of the South East Development Commission (SEDC).

In a list of nominees sent to the Senate late in September 2024, President Tinubu nominated Ambassador Haruna Ginsau as chairman of the NWDC board while also naming Senator Tijani Yahaya Kaura and Hon. Abdulkadir S. Usman as members.

The new list replaced them with Ja'afar Abubakar Sadeeq and Yahaya Aminu Abdulhadi, while the new chairman is Alh Lawal Samai'la Abdullahi.

Professor Abdullahi Shehu Ma'aji retains his position as managing director and chief executive officer.

Other board members featured on the first list are Dr. Yahaya Umar Namahe, Yahaya Aminu Abdulhadi, and Engr. Muhammad Ali Wudil, Shamsu Sule, Nasidi Ali and Aminu Suleiman.

After receiving the President's first list of nominations, the Senate adjusted the NWDC's establishment act to accommodate members from other geo-political zones.

President Tinubu complied with the adjustment in the new list, with the following named to represent the six zones:

They are Chukwu Chijioke, Ahmed Mohammed, Engr. Ahmed Rufai Timasaniyu and Macdonalds Michael Uyi. Others are Yemi Ola and Hon. Babatunde Dada.

President Tinubu has equally appointed Hon. Emeka Atuma as Chairman and Hon. Mark C. Okoye as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the South East Development Commission (SEDC), subject to their confirmation by the Senate.

Other members are Barr. Ugochukwu H. Agballah, Hon. Okey Ezenwa, Chief Hyacinth Ikpor, Hon. Donatus Eyinnah Nwankpa, Barr. Ifeanyi Agwu Ph.D, Nasiru Usman and Hamma Adama Ali Kumo.

The additional nominees are Edward David Onoja, Orure Kufre Inima and Chief (Mrs.) Joke Adebayo-Chukwuma.
Prince Obinna Obiekweihe, Executive Director (Projects); Sen. Anthony O. Agbo, Executive Director, Finance and Administration; and Dr. Daniel Ikechukwu Ugwuja, Executive Director (Corporate Services), were also nominated.

President Tinubu reiterates his commitment to regional development and expects the new nominees, as pioneers, to utilise their wealth of experience and expertise to actualize the mandates of the two Commissions and develop their regions.

Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information & Strategy)

President Bola Tinubu has announced the appointment of chief executive officers for the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) and the New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD).

The President also approved the renewal of the appointment of Fatima Umaru Shinkafi as the Executive Secretary Of the Solid Minerals Development Fund/Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative (SMDF/PAGMI).

She was first appointed into the job by President Muhammadu Buhari and is said to be one of the driving forces of the changes in the solid mineral sector.

President Tinubu appointed Prof. Abdullahi Yusuf Ribadu, a visiting professor at the NUC, as the organisation's Executive Secretary.

Prof. Ribadu is an expert in veterinary reproduction and has served as vice chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Yola, and the Sule Lamido University, Jigawa State.

President Tinubu appointed Prof. Salisu Shehu as Executive Secretary of the NERDC.

Prof Shehu is a renowned academic in educational and human Psychology. He was instrumental in establishing the School of Continuing Education at Bayero University, Kano, and was the Vice-Chancellor of Al-Istiqamah University, Kano.

The President also announced Jabiru Salisu Abdullahi Tsauri's appointment as the National Coordinator of NEPAD.

Jabilu Tsauri holds a Master's in International Affairs and Diplomacy from Ahmadu Bello University. He is a seasoned administrator with expertise in legislative affairs, global affairs, and democratic governance and vast experience in public service.

The earlier announcement about the appointment of Yazid Shehu Umar Danfulani as the Executive Secretary of the SMDF/PAGMI, has been cancelled as there is no vacancy in the agency.

The President believes the appointees' experience and track record will bring a new sense of commitment, progress, and positive outcomes to fulfil Nigerians' expectations of their respective organisations.

Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information & Strategy)

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has rejigged his list of nominees for the South East Development Commission (SEDC) board, replacing the initial chairman, Hon. Emeka Atuma, with Dr Emeka Nworgu.

The President replaced all the three executive directors initially nominated and named two additional executive directors.

The President also removed one of the board members, Donatus Eyinnah Nwankpa.

However, Hon. Mark C. Okoye retains his position as the Commission's Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer on the 16-member board, one more member than the initial board.

The new executive director for finance is Stanley Ohajuruka, who replaced Anthony Ugbo in the first list.

Toby Okechukwu is the new executive director of projects. He replaces Obinna Obiekweihe. Chief Sylvester Okonkwo is now the executive director of corporate services, replacing Dr Daniel Ikechukwu Ugwuja.

The two nominated executive directors without a portfolio are Chidi Echeazu and Dr Clifford Ogbede.

The President retained Barr. Ugochukwu H. Agballah, Hon. Okey Ezenwa, Chief Hyacinth Ikpor, Barr. Ifeanyi Agwu, Nasiru Usman and Hamma Adama Ali Kumo.

The other nominees retained are Edward David Onoja, Orure Kufre Inima and Chief (Mrs.) Joke Adebayo-Chukwuma

All the nominations are subject to Senate confirmation.

President Tinubu expects the new nominees, as pioneers, to use their wealth of experience and expertise to actualise the Commission's mandate and develop the South East region.

Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information & Strategy)

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated President-elect John Dramani Mahama on his victory in the December 7 general election in Ghana, following his opponent's concession speech.

In a telephone call to Mahama, President Tinubu hoped that Mahama’s ascension to power for the second time would further bring stability to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), of which President Tinubu is the chairman.

President Tinubu commended the people of Ghana for their commitment to democracy, which was demonstrated through the peaceful and successful conduct of both the presidential and parliamentary elections.

He applauded Ghanaians for demonstrating again to the world that democracy is the preferred path to achieving political stability, economic development, social justice, and transparent governance in Africa.

He affirmed that Nigeria's and the region’s belief in the principles of the people's right to choose their leaders freely will remain a source of pride.

The Nigerian leader applauded the candidate of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Vice President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, for conceding defeat before the official announcement by Ghana’s Electoral Commission.

President Tinubu said Bawumia’s stance reinforced Ghana’s democratic ethos.

President Tinubu noted that President-elect Mahama’s return to Jubilee House, having served as President from 2012 to 2017, reflects the Ghanaian people’s trust in his stewardship and vision to take the country to greater heights.

Mahama served as Vice President of Ghana from 2009 to 2012, Member of Parliament from 1997 to 2009, and held deputy and ministerial roles between 1998 and 2001.

President Tinubu renews his steadfast support for deepening the fraternal bonds between Nigeria and Ghana, underpinned by shared history, cultural ties, mutual support and cooperation, Pan-African goals, democracy, the rule of law, and economic integration.

The Nigerian leader thanks President Nana Akufo-Addo for his exemplary leadership and numerous contributions to Ghana’s progress and regional peace and stability.

The President looks forward to working with President Mahama's incoming administration to strengthen bilateral ties across various sectors and build a brighter future in the West Africa region.

Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information & Strategy)

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu extends his sincere commendations to Dr Bolu Ogunyemi, a distinguished Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at the Memorial University of Newfoundland, for his recent election as President of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA).

President Tinubu celebrates this remarkable achievement with Dr. Ogunyemi, a renowned dermatologist in St. John's, Newfoundland, and a visiting specialist in Labrador City since 2018.

This esteemed recognition is a testament to Dr. Ogunyemi's visionary leadership, dedication to excellence, and compassionate commitment to enhancing the welfare of others.

The President is confident that Dr. Ogunyemi's extensive background in medical science and his 15 years of leadership experience have eminently prepared him for this prestigious role.

President Tinubu expresses optimism that the forthcoming approval of Ogunyemi's election at the CMA's Annual General Meeting in May 2025 will empower him and enable him to elevate the association to even greater heights.

President Tinubu encourages the Clinical Associate Professor to remain steadfast and focused on fulfilling his new mandate with inclusivity and respect for diverse perspectives.

He also urges Dr Ogunyemi to embrace those who vied for the position as partners in progress.

The President assures Dr. Ogunyemi of the prayers and unwavering support of the Nigerian government and its people as he takes on the mantle of leadership.

Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information & Strategy)

“Liars ought to have good memories”. Algernon Sidney, 1622-1683 VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ p 127. Read online.

Right now, the nation, and indeed the entire world, is still confused regarding the situation with the two Port  Harcourt refineries. Suddenly, in the last ten days of November, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, announced that the refinery was ready to start loading 200 tankers a day with petrol – without specifying which of the two refineries in PH will supply and without revealing if the petrol was processed from crude. It was a clever ploy designed to earn the NNPCL commendation. 

  Predictably, the media mercenaries, as well as the wilfully gullible, were hailing NNPCL for what one of them called “a remarkable feat which should silence critics”. Instead of silencing critics, what followed was more controversy. As usual with statements and promises made by NNPCL in the past, facts at our disposal prove conclusively that this was another rumour by the Directors of NNPCL. Two reports in the papers informed Nigerians as follows: “Port Harcourt refinery: Controversy surrounds NNPCL claim on operation.” Report, November 29, 2024. “P’Harcourt refinery halts operations, loading bay empty.” Report, November 30, 2024.

  Additionally, there is dispute concerning the source of the petrol which the NNPCL advertised for supply at the rate of 200 trucks a day. One Mr.  Timothy Mgbere, Secretary of the Alesa community stakeholders, made three allegations. One he contended that the 60,000 bpd capacity facility was not yet fully operational. Two, he alleged that only six trucks were loaded; and not 200. Three, Mr.  Mgbere asserted that what the NNPCL released was old stock of fuel materials “that had been there for three years.” All these were said on television.

It would be difficult to disbelieve Mr. Mgbere, because the day after his interview was published, the refinery halted operations. Since then, it had been one dodgy story after another. Incidentally, the NNPCL, which invited trucks to lift fuel deliberately failed to fix the price per litre. Is that the way to run a company?

THE WAY WE WERE UNDER BABANGIDA

“Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

George Santayanna, 1863-1952,    VBQ p 93.

  This article was not written just to disparage the NNPCL and its managers. The uncertainties we face regarding fuel supply condemn them enough. More honourable men would have departed a long time ago. The main reason for writing is to remind all of us that we had the four refineries operating at 70 to 110 per cent at one time – 1991, 1992 and 1993– under President Babangida.

  Before going into the details of how we were derailed by three Presidents – Obasanjo, Buhari and now Tinubu — let it be acknowledged that I know there are individuals, ordinarily logical and intelligent, who go into a frenzy each time Babangida is commended for a great achievement. For instance, most Nigerians are not aware that the Value Added Tax, VAT, now tearing the country apart, was created by IBB in 1993; and the nation was not at daggers drawn. Today, the nation is on war path with elected officials in charge. Dr Kalu Idika Kalu, former Minister of Finance, was our leader, when a small minority of us promoted VAT; while the majority (know-nothings) opposed. It is a fact that governments will collapse if VAT is removed from the revenue stream now. VAT alone demonstrates how far ahead of his time Babangida was.

  IBB’s real genius, lacking in all his successors, was the recognition of the vital need for Nigeria, a major oil producing country to have built refinery capacity as to make the nation self-sufficient in fuel production as well as availability of by-products of refining which would provide steady supply of raw materials for other sectors – pharmaceuticals, paints, cosmetics, plastics etc. So, he ensured that the four refineries worked.    Approximately this time last year, Engineer Alexander Ogedengbe, former Managing Director of the Kaduna and Port Harcourt refineries, was on television to warn Nigerians about the official lies we were being told. Many of us would recollect that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and the GMD, NNPCL were assuring Nigerians that the PH refinery would start supplying fuel by December 2023.    The year ended without fuel from PH. Seven other deadlines have been missed since then.

Ogedengbe has turned out to be right about the failure of NNPCL to meet deadline repeatedly. However, he said something about how the four refineries were operating at high efficiency under Babangida which made those years the golden age for those of us who were constant travellers. I was on the road virtually all the time covering at least 25 out of the 30 states Babangida’s government created annually. The products were readily available and the price was reasonable and steady for years – making annual planning and budgeting easier for most companies. Right now, most manufacturing and marketing companies cannot plan for three months; forget a year or the three-year plan.

HOW DID BABANGIDA SUCCEED WHERE OTHERS FAILED?

“Fail to plan; and you plan to fail”. That has been one of the basic principles of managers in every field of endeavour; whether public, private, for profit or non-profit. Babangida, more than any other Head of State in Nigeria’s history, was a planner. And this was apparent in the way his government managed the oil and gas sectors. If IBB’s successors had followed his template for managing the nation’s oil and gas resources, Nigeria should by now have been supplying most of West and Central Africa with fuel. Dangote’s giant refinery might not even be necessary because it is vulnerable for reasons I choose not to disclose.

  Four things Babangida did differently which resulted in superior performance by his government are the following: he did not keep the Ministry of Petroleum Resources; he appointed persons of absolute integrity as Ministers of Petroleum Resources; he gave them free hand to operate and he expanded refining capacity ahead of the need for supply. Let me explain.

Unlike Obasanjo, Buhari and Tinubu who hoarded the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, IBB appointed two Ministers – Professors Tam David West and Jubril Aminu during his eight years in office. Crude oil theft and prolonged scarcity were unheard of throughout. Although, some people objected to the removal of David West for receiving an undisclosed gift of wrist watch from an interested party, IBB made his point. Even the smallest taint of corruption in Nigeria’s most vital sector would not be tolerated. A stitch in time saves nine.

Expanding supply well ahead of demand was a master stroke of forward planning. Nigeria did not need the 150,000 bpd refinery established by IBB in Port Harcourt in 1989. But, given the trajectory of our population and economic growth, it was clear that Nigeria would sooner than later need every drop. So, the Federal Government ensured that Turn Around Maintenance, TAM was undertaken and completed as and when due.

$2 BILLION OIL BLOCK SOLD AT $5 MILLION

  That story in THE NATION, July 31, 2008, was about a questionable sale of oil block when Obasanjo was President and Minister of Petroleum. It has not been refuted till today. So much for President and Minister of Petroleum!!

Dr Yusufu Bala Usman was, in the 1980s, a lion in the Ahmadu Bello University, ABU. His roar could be heard across the country. He was a domineering academic and political figure with followership in the country. His reputation had been boosted when, in 1976, he and fellow radical academic and historian, Dr Olusegun Osoba, as part of the 49 Wise Men charged with writing a new Nigerian Constitution, broke with the rest to present a radical Minority Report.

Then in 1984, Yusuf Bangura, a 34-year-old lecturer challenged Usman’s academic and intellectual scholarship right in his ABU lair.

Usman had in January 1984 delivered a lecture at the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University. It was titled: “Middlemen, Consultants, Contractors and Solutions to the current Economic Crisis.” He had explained the Nigerian economic crisis as being the result of comprador elites generating huge profits for their foreign masters and repatriating them to the metropole. So, he focused on the ways the Nigerian economy had “…been shaped and moulded to serve the capitalist economies of Western Europe, North America and Japan…”. Usman added magisterially that anyone who refuses “…to face these fundamental facts about our economy and society, when we are on the verge of economic collapse, is not only unpatriotic, but actually treasonable.”

[Vanguard]

Aba Power is set to commission a fresh 20MW line to the Owerrenta Industrial Zone on the outskirts of Aba, Abia State.

This fact was made known in Lagos this morning by a leading electric power consultant, Engineer Cliff Eneh, in an interview with journalists on new developments in the power sector expected at the beginning of 2025.

Eneh told newsmen in his office in Lagos, “The commissioning activities have started ahead of availability of the line in January 2025.

“The connection to the line would have started this month but for the delay in the various commissioning tests before steady power supply to the line”.

“Another compelling reason for not commissioning the new 20MW line this month is the fact that factories will soon shut down for Christmas and New Year holidays”, he added.

“The factories will see a new burst of energy as they resume from the holidays.

“It will be a wonderful New Year's gift to manufacturers in Aba and the environs, which are famous for indigenous manufacturing and technology.”

Eneh, a former senior manager with the defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), after working for years with the Texas Power and Light company in Dallas, United States, explained that factories in the area will receive a minimum of 24 hours of power supply daily.

“Not just power supply practically round the clock, but also quality power”, he stated.

“The electricity will be able to power the biggest industrial machines effortlessly, unlike the situation in some parts of the country where supplies can’t power smaller things like house air conditioning systems due to distribution transformer overload, poor feeder pillars, old and dilapidated wires, and other poorly maintained power infrastructure”.

The consultant, until recently the head of the Electrical and Electronics Department of a higher institution in Lagos, said that the lack of constant and quality power supply has caused several companies in the Owerrenta Industrial Zone, like other areas in the country, to depend on self-generation over the decades which is very expensive and pollutes the environment.

He identified some of the leading factories that have been self-generating electricity that can strengthen their power supplies by connecting to the new line as: Tonimas Lubricant Plant, Planet Vegetable Oil Company, Clover Paints Industries, and Valumbra Foods which produces spaghetti and pasta.

But he said that “with the new turn of events, factories in the zone can be assured of steady, quality, affordable and safe electricity”.

The award of the recent Ballon d’Or for the best European-based footballer to Spain’s 28-year old Manchester City midfielder, Rodri, instead of the red-hot favourite, Real Madrid’s 24-year-old Afro-Brazilian winger, Vinícius “Vini” Jr, is the most controversial decision in the 68-year history of this competition. Just before the award was announced in Paris, the assembled players, coaches, and administrators were chanting Vinícius’s name.

This decision was particularly curious as Real Madrid (which boycotted the award ceremony), won the team and coach of the year awards for their record-extending 15th European Champions League win, during which Vinícius had been named the best player of the competition, breaking Argentine legend, Lionel Messi’s record of being the youngest player to score in two finals.

Overseen by the Union of European Football Associations and France Football, journalists from the 100 top-ranked footballing nations determine the Ballon d’Or winner, based on a complicated formula of awarding points to the top 10 players. That Rodri’s Real Madrid teammates, Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal, came third and fourth, respectively, in the voting, clearly worked against Vinícius.

This outcome represented a geopolitical North-South divide, with the vast majority of the 40 European nations (nearly half of the electorate), the US, Israel, and former “White Dominions” Australia, Canada, and New Zealand voting for Rodri as first choice, while most African, Caribbean, and Middle Eastern journalists voted for Vini. Latin America was surprisingly divided, suggesting some regional resentment against five-time World Cup-winning Brazil. There were a few anomalies: Spain, France, Switzerland, and Greece voted for Vinícius, while SA, Zambia, Ghana, Gabon, Uganda, Iran, and Palestine chose Rodri.

Brazilian journalists led the criticism of a decision they regarded as Eurocentric, unjust, and retaliatory, noting that Vinícius had been punished for his antiracism activism.

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior. Picture: VIOLETA SANTOS MOURA/REUTERS
Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior. Picture: VIOLETA SANTOS MOURA/REUTERS
On the merits of the past season, this really should not have been a contest. In helping Madrid win the Champions League and La Liga, Vinícius had scored at least 20 goals in three successive seasons, while netting six often decisive goals in the Champions League including in the quarterfinal, semifinal, and final.

The Brazilian displayed blistering pace, mesmerising dribbling skills, close control, incisive passing, and clinical finishing. Though he has not shone for Brazil as he has for Real Madrid, the same criticism did not stop Messi from winning seven Ballons d’Or before Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph.

Rodri also had a good season in which he helped Manchester City win the league title, and was named player of the tournament when Spain won the European Championship (an award that his prodigious teammate, Lamine Yamal, perhaps should have won). Rodri’s strengths are as a “ball carrier” with solid tackling, aerial, and passing skills, though lacking the pace to be a truly great player.

Vinícius has faced countless incidents of ugly racism in Spain, including his effigy being hung from a bridge and racist chants from Valencia and other away fans. Lackadaisical Spanish football authorities have often condoned such racism, mirroring the anti-immigrant xenophobia pervasive in Spanish society.

The outspoken Vinícius accused La Liga of normalising racism, and defiantly noted: “Black people have been suffering for a long time, and the time has to come when all this has to end.” Vini has also supported humanitarian projects to empower disadvantaged Brazilian youth.

Outspoken Algerian-French 2022 Ballon d’Or winner and Viní’s former Real Madrid teammate, Karim Benzema, best captured the outrage sparked by this travesty: “There is nobody else who deserves it more than Vinícius.” Benzema went on to note that Rodri is a good player but “doesn’t do things that make me say ‘pfff.’” Awarding the Spaniard, the Ballon d’Or recalls the expression that one cannot put lipstick on a caterpillar and pretend it is a butterfly. Vinícius is undoubtedly the best footballer in the world.

• Professor Adekeye Adebajo is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Pretoria’s Centre for the Advancement of Scholarship.

Thisday Newspaper and Arise News are asking Nigerians to nominate the men, women and the institutions ‘’rebuilding democratic Nigeria’’ for the 2025 Thisday Awards. The media group is inviting nominations for 16 different categories, one of which is Governor of the Year. To qualify for this award, the governor should ‘’combine vision, passion, dedication and courage to make the lives of the people of his state better’’, according to official announcement of the newspaper. Nominations close on December 25 and winners would be announced on December 31. You are to submit your nominations, stating the contributions of your nominees, to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

I wish to nominate Gov. Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State as Governor of the Year 2025 for his impactful leadership. Although a first-term governor, who has been in office for less than two years, Pastor Umo Eno has made significant contributions in the following areas:

1. VISION: His Vision is to create a diverse economic base for the state; ramp up IGR to N200 billion by 2027, more than double the N62.5 billion expected at end of 2024. To achieve this, his administration is investing in commercial real estate development in Lagos, Abuja and Uyo. Ten decrepit and abandoned state-owned properties, which are currently non-earning assets (NEA), are being renovated into residential and commercial estates, for sale or lease. Total income expected from these ventures in the next five years is over N300 billion, according to projections. The government is also banking on the aviation sector to diversify the economy. Under the Umo Eno administration, Ibom Air, the state-owned airline, has broken even and recorded profits. The first dividend payout of at least N10 billion is expected in 2025. Additional two aircraft would be added to its fleet in 2025 to make a total of 11 airplanes. New African routes would be opened and the MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) facility would also become fully operational.

2. PASSION: Gov. Eno has a deep passion for the underprivileged members of the society. When the cost-of-living crisis reached unprecedented levels last year, he created a welfare scheme in which over 400,000 citizens have so far received free food items from the state. He also introduced a scheme in which elderly citizens receive N50, 000 monthly stipends and new homes are built and donated to poor widows across the state. The governor has turned to agriculture to create jobs for the youths by adopting the Songhai farming system in which farmers live in self-sustaining Kibbutz-like settlements. One Songhia farm is being built in each of the 31 LGAs.

3. DEDICATION: The governor has shown a rare dedication to duty, even in the face of immense personal crisis. Between when his wife died on September 26, 2024 and when she was buried on November 29, 2024, Eno did not take a day off work. He continued to perform his official duties, combining them with mourning and grieving and preparation for her funeral. The governor presented his 2025 budget to the House of Assembly on November 26, just three days to his wife’s burial. Such commitment to duty is rare. He explained that he ‘’didn’t want his personal grieve to interfere with his official duties’’.

4. COURAGE: Gov. Umo Eno has shown tremendous courage in taking decisions, especially those that enhance peace and harmony. Breaking with the past, the governor relates with everybody, irrespective of party differences. Unlike in the past, he invites politicians in different parties to state functions, honours their invitations, meets and relates with everybody irrespective of political leanings. A PDP member, Umo Eno has ignored partisan affiliations to build a cordial relationship with Senator Godswill Akpabio, an APC leader, and this has greatly helped in lowering political tensions and embers in the state. In September, Gov. Umo Eno attended the birthday celebration of Chief Don Etiebet, an APC chieftain, in Lagos. It has never happened before in the history of the state. His courage to break from past political traditions which were replete with enmity, violence and divisions has created a very conducive investment climate in the state. Eno has deliberately brought everybody in the state under one big canopy of love and harmony.

5. INFRASTRUCTURE: The governor is also executing many road projects and other infrastructures. Currently, there are 156 ongoing road projects across the state, in addition to renovation of primary schools; primary health centres and advancing work on Ibom Deep Sea Port which is very significant to the economic development of the state.

6. CONCLUSION: Pastor Umo Eno has brought a refreshingly different style to governance. He is more consultative, amiable and prudent in managing the resources of the people. It’s my honour to nominate him for THISDAT Governor of the Year 2025.

ETIM ETIM

Abuja, Nigeria