Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno has urged residents and political leaders to avoid statements capable of creating ethnic or political divisions in the state.
Eno made the appeal after returning from Canada, where he conducted a pre delivery inspection of the latest Airbus aircraft being acquired for Ibom Air.
The governor said the administration remained committed to the Akwa Ibom United philosophy and argued that projects, appointments and opportunities had been distributed across the state’s 31 local government areas.
He said ethnic origin had not been used as a basis for determining access to government opportunities and urged residents to ignore narratives suggesting otherwise.
Eno also appealed to traditional rulers, community leaders and political actors to exercise restraint in public comments that could deepen division.
He said peace and unity were necessary for the state to maintain economic progress.
The governor also used the occasion to discuss Akwa Ibom’s expanding aviation investments.
He said the latest Airbus A220 300 would be the third Airbus aircraft acquired by his administration since 2023.
The state had also acquired two CRJ 900 aircraft, bringing the number of aircraft purchased during the administration to five.
Eno said the government was developing a broader aviation ecosystem rather than investing only in aircraft.
Work is progressing on an aviation village to provide accommodation for airline personnel, while the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facility is approaching completion.
The governor said the facilities could create direct and indirect jobs, increase commercial activity and strengthen the aviation sector’s contribution to the state economy.
He argued that the full economic benefits would become clearer when the airline, maintenance facility and supporting infrastructure were operating together.
The administration said the investment was intended to improve connectivity while supporting tourism, employment and wider economic development.
