Denigrating God’swill Akpabio, Umo Eno will not deliver Ibom Deep -Sea port

By Emmanuel Nicholas

It is understandable, indeed legitimate that the people of Akwa Ibom are anxious to see the Ibom Deep-Sea Port become a reality.

Such a demand for tangible development and broad-based employment is an honest agitation that no conscientious observer would condemn.

What is lamentable, however, is the descent of that righteous impatience into personal vilification directed at Governor Umo Eno and Senate President Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio. Venting frustration through invective against these leaders neither advances the cause nor honors the collective interest of the state.

Like citizens everywhere who long for the prosperity of their homeland, the Akwa Ibom people want projects that will generate jobs and stimulate growth.

While a handful of spoilers may always seek to obstruct progress, the overwhelming majority desire constructive forward movement. Too many, however, overlook the practicalities of governance, the procedural realities such as budgetary appropriation and intergovernmental negotiation that govern the pace at which major infrastructure can be delivered.

Some have even asserted, without basis, that because the President hails from Lagos State, he would refuse to share port revenues or approve a rival facility.

Others, rather than uniting in prayer and persuasion with their leaders to realize the port, have chosen to assail Senator Akpabio’s character and competence, branding him a failed Senate President who has been unable to leverage his office to secure the project for Akwa Ibom.

In doing so, they ignore a crucial record of contribution: it was during Senator Akpabio’s tenure as governor that the principal licenses for the Ibom Deep-Sea Port were obtained.

Far from being indifferent, Senator Akpabio has also ensured the inclusion of the Ibom Deep-Sea Port in the federal government’s 2026 budget proposal, a vital step, since no public project can proceed without an appropriation.

On numerous occasions, he has articulated plainly that his petition to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not for personal enrichment but for the construction of this port, which remains one of his foremost priorities.

Others have accused Governor Umo Eno of exploiting the port as a campaign device to secure a second term.

That allegation is unfounded. Governor Umo Eno’s administration has recorded commendable achievements across several sectors, and many citizens are prepared to support him for a constitutionally permissible second term on the basis of performance.

Moreover, the governor has repeatedly conveyed assurances from President Tinubu that the federal government is committed to building the Ibom Deep-Sea Port.

The right to agitate is beyond dispute, but it should be exercised with decorum. Resorting to personal insults against the governor or the Senate President demeans the institutions they represent and undermines our collective standing.

When we mock or belittle our leaders, we do not merely harm individual reputations; we signal to other states and to external observers that we are a polity at war with itself, an invitation to derision that weakens our bargaining position.

Importantly, constructive steps toward the port’s realization are already underway. The governor has initiated construction of an 11-kilometre dual carriageway with two bridges to serve as an access road, and feasibility studies outlining the project’s design have been financed.

Together with the licenses secured in the previous administration and the project’s inclusion in the 2026 budget proposal, these measures constitute the tangible foundations on which the port can be built.

Insulting Governor Umo Eno and Senator Godswill Akpabio will not deliver the Ibom Deep-Sea Port. The agitation for the port is justified. Akwa Ibom people rightly seek jobs, development and prosperity, but outrage and personal attack distract from the practical work required to realize those goals.

What the state needs is constructive pressure, organized advocacy and persistent civic engagement with the budgetary and political process, not ridicule.

Unity, patience and focused action are now essential. Respect our leaders while holding them accountable by lawful and civic means. In doing so, we strengthen our negotiating position, protect our dignity, and increase the likelihood that the Ibom Deep-Sea Port will be erected and provide employment and prosperity for our youth.