2023: A’Ibom most acceptable aspirant scaled through PDP guber screening [Photos]

He is Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, the Presiding Pastor of All Nations Church reaching out to the unreached with gospel of Soul salvation in Christ from Eket, the oil city of Akwa Ibom State.

The “Golden Boy” is the preferred identify annexed to the formal name of this humble Clergyman by his admirers and supporters since he stepped into Akwa Ibom State 2023 gubernatorial theatre to lend his decade experiences in leadership, entrepreneurship, management and blameless business empires.

Pastor Umo Eno is Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer- MD/CEO of a leading hospitality conglomerates known as Royalty Hotels and its other affiliates companies.

As we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses bearing testimonies of deeds, Pastor Eno was picked amongst many by the sitting Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Deacon Udom Emmanuel on January 30, 2022 to succeed him to fullfil his promise to bequeath the State to a successor without baggage or record of cultism or occult fellowship.

Pastor Umo Eno, also known as the “Golden Boy” fits squarely into Governor Emmanuel yardstick of measurement and pecking, hence he was effortlessly screened and approved yesterday by the People Democratic Party – PDP five-man South-South Zonal Screening Committee in Port Harcourt led by the Bayelsa State Governor His Excellency Senator Douye Diri in the Rivers State capital to stand the 2023 governorship election of Akwa Ibom State.

Pastor Eno whose successes in the past and present he traces to his maker, acknowledges that yesterday after the screening in this tone:

“…for the race is not for the swift nor the battle for the strong. Eccl 9 :11, but the Lord is the one that shows mercy to whom He wishes-Rom 9:18”

Taking time to appreciate respective efforts made by respective support groups and individuals who stood by him till his successful screening, the Golden Boy in a comprehensive Press Statement signed by him said:

“My dear Party Faithful,

I have just been screened by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 5-Man Governorship Screening Committee led by H. E. Senator Douye Diri at the Party’s Zonal Office in Port Harcourt”.

“I am happy to report that the screening exercise went perfectly well”.

“Let me use this medium to thank all Akwa Ibomites for their outpour of love and solidarity, particularly all the individuals and groups that came from Uyo and Akwa Ibomites in Port Harcourt who came out enmass to support me during the screening exercise today.

Let me thank in no small measure all the leaders of our Team that gave me all the needed encouragement.

I humbly urge that you continue to remain steadfast in your conviction and trust in God as we move into the primaries and by God’s grace pick the party ticket of our great Party, for the race is not for the swift nor the battle for the strong. Eccl 9 :11, but the Lord is the one that shows mercy to whom He wishes-Rom 9:18″.

“Let us together usher in a new dawn by connecting the dots and furthering peace and prosperity in Akwa Ibom state”.

To dismiss smeared campaign published in various social media platforms by mischief makers who claimed the State preferred aspirant was not screened and that he was abandoned in Port Harcourt by his supporters and his campaign organization, the Spokesperson of Maintain Peace Movement – MPM Prince Chris Abasieyo in a Press Statement said:

“PRESS RELEASE”

“A MESSAGE OF APPRECIATION: THANK YOU AKWA IBOM PEOPLE”.

“The Maintain Peace Movement-MPM/Umo Eno Team for Governor, wishes to thank Akwa Ibom people for the outpour of support since we began our first round of consultations.

Indeed, the support for our Golden Aspirant, Pastor Umo Eno, has been overwhelming. It has been endorsement all the way. And it can only be God at work.

We cannot thank Akwa Ibom people enough. Our deep appreciation goes to Governor Udom Emmanuel, the Deputy Governor, Moses Ekpo, the Akwa Ibom State Caucus in the National Assembly, the Speaker and Members of the State House of Assembly, the state leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the College of Commissioners, College of Chairmen of Boards & Commissions, the state chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), the Forum of Local Government Vice Chairmen, Forum of Councillors, Fathers in Faith, the state branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), PDP stakeholders and Political Leaders across the three Senatorial Districts, the College of Personal Aides (COPA), women, youths, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), students, transporters, very importantly, PDP statutory delegates and many more”.

“Above all, we thank that same God.

We assure all that we are not taking this support for granted, as it is a given that, goodness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting some on yourself.

With Pastor Umo Eno, having purchased the expression of interest and the PDP Governorship nomination forms, filled, returned and certified fit to run after being screened by the appropriate Committee of the Party, we solicit the continuing support of Akwa Ibom people until victory is achieved with the Grace of God. With such support, we are certain that history is about repeating itself with yet another monumental victory, as it were in favour of King David, whose insignificant posturing, provoked Goliath, to ask if he were a dog. Matter-of-factly, every dog shall go the way of all dogs”.

“Thank you and God bless”.

The participation of Akwa Ibom State aspirants at the South-South Zonal Screening was more of a PDP family camaraderie and pleasantries where opposing aspirants met without rancour, shared food, drinks together and took pictures.