Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has clarified that his daughter, Mrs. Helen Obareki, is not appointed as the First Lady of the state, but rather as the Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady.
This decision comes after the passing of his wife, Mrs. Patience Umo Eno, on September 26, 2024
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During a condolence visit by the Wife of the President, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, Governor Eno explained that his daughter’s role is to ensure the continuity of the office’s programs, particularly his late wife’s pet project, “Golden Initiative For All”.
He emphasized that First Ladies are not appointed, but rather, they come with the governor.
As the Special Assistant to his late wife, Mrs. Obareki is well-positioned to coordinate the office, bringing healing to the family and keeping the office running. Governor Eno stressed that this decision is not politically motivated, but rather, a natural outcome.
“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… So appointing her as the coordinator is not an appointment of a First Lady. You don’t appoint a First Lady,” Governor Eno clarified.
He expressed gratitude to Mrs. Tinubu for acknowledging his daughter’s appointment as apt and thanked the church for their consolation messages. Governor Eno also reaffirmed his commitment to sustaining his late wife’s programs for women, the elderly, the vulnerable, and the less privileged.
In his words, “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… and as long as I remain governor, those programmes will not die.”
