Nigeria: 2023 – Governor’s Aide Resigns After She’s Ignored for Major Role

“I needed the deputy governorship slot, but I have not been given.”

An aide to Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, Janet Amba, has resigned her appointment with the state government.

Mrs Amba, until her resignation, was a senior special assistant to the governor on Small and Medium Enterprise.

In a letter to the Secretary to the State Government, Emmanuel Ekuwem, dated June 7, Mrs Amba said she resigned for “personal reasons.”

But she opened up in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, on Wednesday, claiming she felt she was not properly treated by the state government.

“I just felt I have not been treated the way I felt I have worked. I felt I should excuse myself but no hard feelings. I am still part of the government,” she said.

Some people in the state had linked the resignation to her failure to become the running mate to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the state, Umo Eno.

Mr Eno had picked the senator representing Akwa Ibom South District, Akon Eyakenyi, as his running mate.

Mrs Amba confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES she was interested in becoming Mr Eno’s running mate.

“I needed the deputy governorship slot, but I have not been given. So anybody can conclude the way they want.

“So they recognised that I deserve it? That office is a place of service for Oron people, not for appreciation for loyalty as in the case of a senator from my place,” she said.

“I’m not against it being given to her. But why would you bring someone from the Senate when we have several people including the present Secretary to the State Government, Mr Ekuwem, and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Felicia Etim that could have occupied the position,” she added.

Mrs Eyakenyi hails from the same place, Oron, with Mrs Amba.

Mrs Amba, a former president of a socio-cultural group in the state, Oron Union, said appointing someone from an “exalted office” of a senator as a deputy governor was not “dignifying”.

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