Losing my wife as governor biggest regret, says Umo Eno

Umo Eno, governor of Akwa Ibom, says losing his wife has been his greatest regret while in office.

Patience Umo Eno, wife of the governor, died at a hospital on September 26, 2024, following an illness.

Speaking during an interview with Arise TV, Eno said his greatest achievement so far in office is his emotional connection with the people of his state, working with them, and being able to touch them.

He explained that touching them means putting smiles on as many faces as possible, particularly in the rural communities.

“Two projects stand clearly for me. We have the Arise Compassionate Homes for indigent people. You need to see where these people used to live before now. And then now they can have a place they call home,” he said.

“We’re doing 500 of such homes across the length and breadth of the state, each ward, and we’ve done 267 so far.

“And so the next thing is how we’re able to help our people in entrepreneurship. That’s because that’s my background, seeing these young people having to be trained, then having to give them tools that they can work with.

“This is how to stimulate the economy, trained entrepreneurship, giving a helping hand to these young men and women. Those two projects strike me and seriously.”

On his biggest regret, Eno pointed to losing his wife in office.

“It’s painful. I wish she was here with me right now. Sometimes it’s tough,” he said.