In Akwa Ibom these days, the most popular question at political gatherings is what, exactly, will Governor Umo Eno be remembered for? After two years in office, his administration has built many things: roads, compassion homes, and tracking committees. But there is no clear legacy that bears his name.
Governor Eno, a pastor-turned-politician, has lately seemed more absorbed in politics than policy. His effort to steady both the PDP and APC in Akwa Ibom has stirred confusion even among his allies. Cleric Nyeneime Andy, once YPP chairman, recently told him bluntly on Facebook: “You cannot control two parties at the same time.” The warning sounded less like prophecy, more like frustration.
The charge is simple: Eno inherited power on a borrowed structure and is now trying to build his own. Since defecting to the APC, he has struggled to keep both camps calm while dismissing boards, reorganising ministries, and tightening political control. His aides hail him as a unifier; his critics see a man rearranging chairs on the deck of indecision.