A media aide in the office of the Political Adviser to Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has been dismissed following a social media post in which he suggested that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should resign over the nation’s current challenges.
The aide, Osborne Okon, was relieved of his appointment on Tuesday through a letter signed by the Political Adviser to the Governor, Godwin Ntuk Udeh.
According to the letter, the decision was based on alleged acts of disloyalty and the need to maintain the integrity of the office.
“Following actions bordering on disloyalty and considering the necessity to always keep the Office of the Political Adviser purified, it has become compelling that you Mr Osborne Ubong Okon be and is hereby relieved of your engagement as a Media Aide to the Political Adviser to His Excellency the Governor, with immediate effect and from today 2nd June 2026,” the letter stated.
The dismissal came shortly after Okon posted a message on Facebook criticizing President Tinubu’s leadership and suggesting he should step down.
“In a sane clime president Bola Ahmed Tinubu would’ve respectfully and honourably resigned. I’m of APC but truth be told,” he wrote.
The development has generated attention within political circles, particularly because Governor Umo Eno defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) last year and subsequently pledged support for President Tinubu and the ruling party.
Reacting to his removal, Okon said he only became aware of the decision after associates informed him that the dismissal letter was circulating on social media.
Speaking in an interview with NewsNectarNG, he described the manner of his removal as humiliating.
“I feel highly insulted and embarrassed because I do not know what the problem is,” he said.
According to him, a prominent individual in the state called to inquire about reports of his dismissal before he checked online and discovered the letter himself.
“Someone drew my attention to my sack online as I wasn’t aware. A big man in the state called me and asked why I was relieved of my duties. I told him I wasn’t aware, and he asked me to check social media. When I logged into Facebook, I saw the letter everywhere,” he said.
Okon also expressed surprise over the allegation of disloyalty contained in the dismissal letter.
“I was shocked when I read through the letter and saw him say I was sacked due to disloyalty. I asked myself what could prompt him to say that I was disloyal when I was in the office yesterday,” he said.
The former aide explained that his working relationship with Udeh predated the 2023 governorship election and was built on mutual understanding rather than a formal employment arrangement.
He stated that despite earning a monthly stipend of N65,000, he remained committed because he believed greater opportunities would emerge in the future.
“I wasn’t working for salary. I was working for better days ahead,” he said.
“I was being paid N65,000 monthly, but that was not why I was there. Honestly, N65,000 is not even worth a take-home in today’s economy. If money was my priority, I would have left long ago or complained.”
Okon further faulted the manner in which the decision was communicated, arguing that concerns about his conduct should have been addressed privately.
Despite the dismissal, he reaffirmed his loyalty to both the APC and Governor Eno’s administration.
“As an APC loyalist, I will continue to support Governor Umo Eno and his ARISE Agenda while continually mobilising support for the governor and ensuring that he returns for a second term,” he said.
