Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has refuted reports suggesting that his first daughter, Mrs. Helen Obareki, was appointed as the First Lady of the state.
He clarified that his daughter was appointed as the Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady, a point he made clear to Senator Oluremi Tinubu during her condolence visit.
Speaking at the All Nations Christian Ministry International, Eket, on Sunday, the governor explained that his decision was a natural outcome, not one motivated by political considerations.
He maintained that first ladies are not appointed. However, following the passing of his wife, it was appropriate and comforting for his daughter—who had been her mother’s closest assistant—to oversee and implement the programs of the office.
He noted that priority attention would be given to his late wife’s pet project, Golden Initiative for All (GIFA), as well as other support programs for women, the elderly, the vulnerable, and the less privileged. He added that these activities could only be sustained with Mrs. Obareki as coordinator due to her experience, exposure, education, and access.
His words: “Appointing our daughter, who had worked closely with her late mother, as the coordinator is not an appointment as First Lady. You don’t appoint a First Lady. The Office of the First Lady has responsibilities to the women of this state, and my wife had programs she was running—the GIFA, the support for the elderly, and other programs.
“As long as I remain governor, those programs will not die. There must be a coordinator, and it must be someone I see on a daily basis, someone who can walk into my room and brief me, not a distant person.”
Governor Eno further explained that, by the appointment, his daughter would be addressed as the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor and Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, stating that this decision was one way to bring healing to the family and comfort to himself.
While expressing gratitude to the wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and her entourage, the governor also thanked the church for their words of comfort and encouraged them to find solace in the word of God.
