Umo Eno, the governor of Akwa Ibom State, has refuted claims that he appointed his daughter, Helen Eno-Obareki, as the new first lady following the death of his wife, Patience Umo Eno.
Patience passed away on September 26 after a period of illness. During a condolence visit by Oluremi Tinubu, Nigeria’s first lady, the governor indicated that his daughter would help coordinate the office of the late first lady, leading to misinterpretations.
In a statement released on Monday by Ekerete Udoh, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Eno clarified that Helen has been appointed as the Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady to ensure the continuity of her late mother’s projects, not as the first lady.
“Our attention has been drawn to a misreporting by a section of the press on the appointment of Mrs. Helen Eno Obareki as the Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady,” the statement read.
Udoh explained that during the visit by the nation’s first lady, Governor Eno introduced his daughter as the new coordinator to continue her mother’s legacy through initiatives such as the Golden Initiative for All (GIFA), a pet project of the late first lady.
“First Ladies are not appointed, and there has never been such a precedent before,” the statement emphasized, debunking rumors that Helen had been named the new first lady.
Helen Eno-Obareki holds a Bachelor’s degree in Multidisciplinary Studies from the University of Oklahoma and a Master’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources from Oklahoma Christian University.
