“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,” the former official stated in reaction to his sack.
A media aide in the office of the Political Adviser to Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has been dismissed after a Facebook post suggesting President Bola Tinubu should have resigned over the country’s challenges.
The aide, Osborne Okon, was relieved of his appointment on Tuesday in a letter signed by the Political Adviser to the Governor, Godwin Ntuk Udeh.
The dismissal letter cited “actions bordering on disloyalty” and the need to keep the office “purified” as reasons for the decision.
“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 development came shortly after Mr Okon posted a message on Facebook criticising President Tinubu’s leadership.
“In a sane clime president Bola Ahmed Tinubu would’ve respectfully and honourably resigned. I’m of APC but truth be told,” he wrote.
Mr Tinubu is a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the same party which Mr Okon belongs.
The dismissal drew attention because Governor Eno defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC last year, pledging support for Mr Tinubu and the party’s leadership.
Reacting to the dismissal, Mr Okon said he was unaware of the decision until alerted by associates who had seen the letter circulating online.
In an interview with NewsNectarNG, Mr Okon described the manner of his removal as “insulting” and “embarrassing.”
“I feel highly insulted and embarrassed because I do not know what the problem is,” he said.
According to him, he only became aware of the development after receiving a phone call from a prominent individual in the state who asked him about reports of his dismissal.
“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.
Mr Okon said he was particularly surprised by the allegation of disloyalty contained in the 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 said his relationship with Mr Udeh predated the 2023 governorship election and was based on a verbal understanding rather than a formal appointment letter.
He said he remained in the role despite receiving a monthly stipend of N65,000 because he hoped it would create future opportunities.
“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.”
Mr Okon also faulted the manner in which the decision was communicated, arguing that his former principal should have spoken to him privately if there were concerns about his conduct.
Despite his dismissal, Mr Okon said he remains loyal to 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.
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