•Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State
The recent report by the International Press Institute (IPI), Nigeria, authored by the Editor-in-Chief of Premium Times alleging an unfounded “Media Repression” in Akwa Ibom State under the leadership of His Excellency, Pastor Umo Eno, Ph.D, Governor of Akwa Ibom State is clearly misinforming, baseless, and unjustified for a government that has done so much for the media community that has enhanced the synergy of development in the state.
For the record, I was the State Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Akwa Ibom State when Pastor Umo Eno came into Office.
During his consultations prior to his nomination as a candidate of his party for the gubernatorial election, one of the earliest institutions he visited and met with members to sell his aspiration was the NUJ.
He was warmly received by the leadership and members and pledged a support of N10 million for the roofing project of the auditorium which was redeemed and that project executed successfully for that stage.
It is also on record, the regular media interactive sessions with Governor Umo Eno which further strengthened his media relationship as he has consistently addressed our welfare challenges.
During one of such interactive sessions, Governor Umo Eno directed that his administration will take full completion of the auditorium project at the NUJ premises, a project started over 20 years ago.
Let me also recall that when the ARISE Agenda was to be launched in July 2023, the NUJ was part of the team that made significant contributions to the template of the success story of the implementation so far, of this governance work plan for Akwa Ibom State.
Governor Umo Eno also invited the NUJ to be part of the inaugural retreat of his administration held in Lagos State which the Union made significant contributions.
Governor Umo Eno is the first governor in Nigeria’s history to have over 50 media aides driving the projection of the ARISE Agenda positively.
Governor Umo Eno is the first and only governor in Akwa Ibom State to have hosted the 2025 NUJ Thanksgiving Service in his hometown church, The Apostolic Church, Ikot Ekpene Udo, Nsit Ubium Local Government Area in January this year and acknowledged the role and partnership of the media in nation building.
At that memorable event, he announced a donation of an SUV to myself and cars for members of the State Working Committee.
Governor Umo Eno is the first Nigerian Governor to be honoured by the national leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists for two years consecutively as Nigeria’s Most Friendly Media Governor.
He has been honoured by the Akwa Ibom State Council of the NUJ and is also our Grand Patron.
On August 1, 2025 Governor Umo Eno made history in Nigeria when he visited the NUJ, Akwa Ibom State Council and commissioned the auditorium project which started over 20 years ago and completed by his administration, and presented cars to members of the State Working Committee, the first by any Governor in Nigeria since Independence.
That event was witnessed by the National President of the NUJ, Comrade Alhassan Yahya and the leadership of the NUJ, Zone F (South South).
He hosted the Nigerian Guild of Editors Conference few months after his inauguration and was widely celebrated for his media friendly disposition; an event that was attended by notable veterans like His Excellency, Aare Segun Osoba, Uncle Sam Amuka Pemu, publisher of the Vanguard Newspaper and other notable personalities. He has also hosted the 2025 Annual General Meeting of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations Practitioners where he was commended on the legacies he is building in Akwa Ibom State.
The governor has further supported journalists in their welfare and human capacity development programmes.
For the International Press Institute to spew such negative narrative about a governor who has strongly built the state on a platform of unity in which the media community clearly identifies and projects the milestones of the ARISE Agenda is clearly mischievous.
For the record, journalists continue to have a strong synergy of working relationship with the government as no record exists anywhere of any form of repression in the state or being hounded by security agencies .
For a renowned institution like the IPI, the basis of judgement lacks ethical valuation.
Facts must remain sacred and as journalists we must work along the lines of our professional callings and build our democracy with stronger ethical standards.
Governor Umo Eno loves the media and the media will put Akwa Ibom first in building a united and prosperous state with the ARISE Agenda. He will continue to do more for journalists and the media community.
*Etuk is the immediate past Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, Akwa Ibom Chapter
