Palpable tension has gripped Akwa Ibom State as indigenes eagerly await the unveiling of the new commissioners’ list following the dissolution of the former State Executive Council, which had served since the last administration of Udom Emmanuel.
Governor Umo Eno officially bid farewell to the commissioners he inherited from the immediate past Governor Emmanuel administration on Friday, January 9, 2025. The dissolution marked the end of a transitional era, with the state now bracing for a new executive lineup.
The dissolution has sparked intense lobbying and negotiations among political heavyweights, as stakeholders and citizens speculate about the composition of the incoming Executive Council. Sources from the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly revealed that a closed-door session was held on Thursday, January 16, 2025, during which legislators deliberated on the proposed list of commissioners.
However, tensions appear to be simmering within the legislative chambers as reports indicate that some lawmakers expressed dissatisfaction with the proposed list, claiming that their interests were not adequately represented in the governor’s selections.
The much-anticipated list is expected to be unveiled next week, with the nominees slated for screening and confirmation by the House of Assembly before their swearing-in ceremony.
At least four former commissioners are likely to return to the cabinet, with Frank Archibong, a prominent figure from the previous administration, reportedly topping the list of commissioners likely to return to the Eno cabinet.
Some observers say that the move by Eno to reconstitute his cabinet is his attempt to become his own man, to begin to build his own power base and assert himself as a political force distinct from his erstwhile boss and benefactor, Gov. Emmanuel.
It is not clear if the move is an indication of the beginning of a strained relationship with the immediate past Governor, but what is clear is that besides the state legislators, who are trying to assert their right to be represented in the cabinet, other political blocks in the state, including past governors and federal lawmakers are also angling to have their proteges in Eno’s executive council.