Honorable Aniekan Umanah, the Commissioner for Information in Akwa Ibom State, has categorically refuted claims that security personnel assigned to former Governor Udom Emmanuel have been withdrawn.
Umanah labeled recent media allegations suggesting that Governor Umo Eno removed his predecessor’s security detail due to unresolved political conflicts as “baseless and fabricated.”
The report insinuated that tensions surrounding the pivotal 2027 elections prompted Governor Eno to revoke the police-investigate-opposition-violence/” title=”… Launch Investigation into Violent Clashes at Opposition Parties Meeting in Kaduna”>security arrangements at the former governor’s residence.
Contrary to these assertions, Elder Umanah dismissed the story as pure fiction, emphasizing the typically amicable relationship between Governor Eno and former Governor Emmanuel.
In a Sunday interview, Umanah clarified, “There is no truth to this claim,” further explaining that decisions regarding the assignment or reassignment of security personnel fall under the jurisdiction of the Inspector General of Police and the state’s Commissioner of Police, not the governor.
He condemned the publication as a deliberate attempt to undermine the governor’s commitment to delivering democratic dividends to the people, assuring that such distractions would not deter the administration.
“This narrative is misleading and unfounded. Governor Eno has not ordered the removal of security officers from former Governor Udom Emmanuel or any other ex-governor of Akwa Ibom State,” Umanah stated.
“The authority to deploy, reassign, or withdraw police officers rests solely with the IGP and the state’s Police Commissioner, not with any sitting governor.”
“I can confirm with certainty that no directive has been issued by the governor to withdraw security operatives from any former governor. All previous governors retain their legally sanctioned security details,” he added.
Umanah also noted that there have been no official complaints or statements from any former governor or their representatives regarding the alleged withdrawal of security personnel, stressing that the rumor is purely speculative.
He urged the public to ignore these unfounded claims, reaffirming that “Governor Eno remains dedicated to fostering peace, unity, and effective governance throughout Akwa Ibom State.”
“The governor is committed to ensuring that every citizen, irrespective of political background, receives full protection and enjoys the rights guaranteed by law,” Umanah concluded.
