By Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has declared that he has fulfilled his long-held dream of uniting all Akwa Ibom people, regardless of their political affiliations.

The governor made this known during the Easter Evening of Hymns, held on Monday at the International Christian Worship Centre in Uyo, according to a statement from the Government House press corps.

Governor Eno emphasized that peace and unity must be valued, protected, and prioritized above personal ambition or political interests.

“Tonight, as a servant of God who has been given the privilege to serve Akwa Ibom in this season as governor, I want to say I have fulfilled my ministry. I have fulfilled the ministry of reconciliation that God placed in my hands for Akwa Ibom,” he said.

“During my campaign, I promised that, by God’s grace, we would bring all Akwa Ibomites under one roof. Tonight, that dream has been fulfilled. We have heard the PDP choir, the APC choir, and the IPAC choir sing here tonight.

“We have seen a united Akwa Ibom State represented through these choirs. People from all walks of life are gathered in this sanctuary where God has placed His name. There could be nothing greater than this.”

Governor Eno stated that his mission to unite the state was now complete, asserting that the future of maintaining that unity rests with the people.

“As far as I am concerned, my conscience is clear. I am leading Akwa Ibom as one— not as a PDP Akwa Ibom, not as an APC Akwa Ibom, but as Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria. Never again will a state event become a party event.

“Today, I feel very fulfilled. It is on record that in this administration, Akwa Ibom is united. Brothers greet and eat with brothers because we are from the same ancestral origin.”

He thanked all attendees and encouraged them to contribute their quota to maintaining peace and unity in the state.

“The significance of Easter for me is that all of us, regardless of our parties and beliefs, came together to sing and praise God. That is the greatest highlight of this evening,” Eno concluded.

Delivering a sermon on the theme “He Arose” taken from Matthew 28:26, Bishop Gabriel Nkenang emphasized that Jesus came with the singular purpose of dying for mankind, noting that the empty grave remains the unique distinction between Christianity and other religions.

The Easter event featured praise and worship sessions, along with choral renditions by various groups including the Government House Divine Voices, State House of Assembly Choir, Judiciary Choir, College of Permanent Secretaries Choir, Board Chairmen Choir, Members of the National Assembly Choir, and the Personal Aides to the Governor Choir, among others.