Autonomy does not mean LG is separate entity – Gov Eno warns newly elected chairmen

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, told the newly sworn-in chairmen and their deputies not to misconstrue their autonomy as a means of working separately from state government.

Eno, who stated this during the swearing-in of the council executives on Monday at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Uyo, said no arm of government can operate in isolation and urged them to embrace synergy even as he assured that he would respect their autonomy.

The results of the council poll held on Saturday, October 5, 2024, as declared by the State Independent Electoral Commission showed that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, won in 30 local governments while the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, got only Essien Udim Local Government.

Eno said: “Each of you is now autonomous in your financial dealings, which means you will receive your funds directly. But remember, we have shared responsibilities, and those shared responsibilities must be carefully thought out, including how our teachers will be paid across the board and how their allowances and gratuities will be paid. We will continue to work collaboratively with all of you to bring good governance to our people. That’s what they expect us to do.

“We expect that we sit down and understand our shared commitment to our people. There is really no autonomy in governance. We all must make sure that our people have what is needed.

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“Let me add here that autonomy does not mean you are running separate entities from the state government. You are an integral part of the machinery of government, and in governance, you are expected to align your actions and policies with our governance blueprint, the ARISE Agenda.”

Addressing the only opposition chairman, the governor said: “Your election and subsequent swearing in today mean that the process was fair. So you’re expected to imbibe our spirit and work with the government of the state to ensure that we deliver the dividends of democracy to our people. There is no APC or PDP in governance. Let them see you as the Chairman of Essien Udim and not the Chairman of APC. That is my admonition to you.”

Responding on behalf of the newly sworn-in Chairmen, the returning Chairman of Eket Local Government Council, Akaninyene Tommy, thanked the people for the massive support that saw to his emergence and other candidates of PDP. He stressed that their performance at the polls was not unconnected to the impressive performance of the Governor Umo Eno-led PDP government in the state, as he assured to replicate the track record of the governor at the local government level.