Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has clarified a recent media report that suggested his daughter, Mrs. Helen Obareki, had been appointed as the new First Lady of the state following the passing of his wife, Mrs. Patience Umo Eno. The governor firmly denied this claim, stating that his daughter will only coordinate the activities of the First Lady’s office, not serve as the First Lady herself.
Governor Eno made this explanation while receiving the Wife of Nigeria’s President, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, who visited to offer her condolences. Mrs. Patience Eno passed away on September 26, 2024, in a hospital, surrounded by her family.
During a church service at All Nations Christian Ministry Intl in Eket, the governor explained that his daughter had worked closely with her late mother and was her Special Assistant. This experience, he noted, makes her well-suited to manage the office’s operations. He stressed that this decision was a natural step, not a political one, and was necessary to maintain continuity in the programs his wife had initiated.
Governor Eno expressed that assigning his daughter to this role would not only ensure the smooth functioning of the First Lady’s office but also help his family heal from the loss. He emphasized that First Ladies are not appointed, but rather their roles come with their status as the governor’s spouse. Therefore, his decision to have Mrs. Obareki coordinate the office is not an appointment of a new First Lady.
He highlighted the importance of his late wife’s projects, particularly her pet initiative, the “Golden Initiative For All” (GIFA), which focuses on supporting women, the elderly, and vulnerable groups in the state. Governor Eno explained that Mrs. Obareki’s deep involvement in these initiatives made her the best person to ensure they continue, given her education, experience, and proximity to him.
“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 said.
Speaking further, Eno 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.”
