The Governor of Akwa-Ibom State Pastor Umo Eno has explained why he has decided to avail the daughter, Mrs. Helen Obareki, the opportunity to manage the first lady’s office following the sudden death of his wife, Pastor Patience Eno.
He said Obareki had been with the mother from the start of his government and can continue from where she stopped.
Governor Umo made the clarification on Sunday, while addressing a congregation of the All Nations Christian Ministry International during their National combined worship service.
He noted that this arrangement was more a natural progression than a political decision.
The Governor made it clear that First Ladies are not formally appointed, but under the circumstances, it was both appropriate and comforting for his daughter to take on the role of managing the office’s programs.
“Please listen to me and listen well, First Ladies are not appointed, they come with the governor. I made a statement, and I would like to repeat that statement for the avoidance of doubt.
“Our daughter, Mrs. Helen Obareki, will coordinate the office of the First Lady. She had been with the mother from the beginning, and you heard the First Lady of the Nation, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, say ‘The mother introduced her to me’.
“So appointing her as the coordinator is not an appointment of a First Lady. You don’t appoint a First Lady.
“So, by appointment, she is a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor and the Coordinator, Office of the First Lady. This is not political, it is natural.
“All I pray for is support and wisdom for her to be able to ensure that none of those programmes will die and that she will bring more insight and innovation to the office,” he said.
“The only reason I brought this up again is for clarification, that I am conscious of what I am doing, and it is to bring healing to the family and allow the office to keep running. That’s one of the ways I will be comforted,” the governor added.
Speaking further, he said, “Even when Jesus died, Peter said ‘Choose from amongst us those that were with Jesus’. So, for me, the Office of the First Lady has responsibilities to the women of this state, and my wife had programmes she was running: the GIFA, the support for the elderly and the other programmes, and as long as I remain governor, those programmes will not die.
“There must be a coordinator, and it must be someone that I see daily, someone that can walk into my room and brief me, not a distant person.”
Also, he reaffirmed his gratitude to Mrs Tinubu and her entourage of some of Nigeria’s renowned women for their visit which he described as timely.
Mr Eno also thanked her for acknowledging the appointment of Obareki to run the late mother’s office.
The governor however, appreciated the church for the consolation messages and charged them to be consoled in the word of God.