Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has condemned the resurfacing of a viral video involving his daughter, Jane Edidiong Ufot, describing it as a politically motivated attempt to tarnish his reputation.
The video, originally recorded last year shortly after the death of the governor’s wife, shows Jane emotionally blaming her father for his alleged role in her mother’s passing. In one clip, she pleads, “Daddy, I’m sending this to you alone. Please, let’s talk before this destroys everything. I am not a sacrifice. Mummy was—I’m not.” In another, she speaks to her daughter, prompting her to say: “Tell Grandpa, ‘Do you want them to kill us? Do you want us to die like my baby brother died?’”
Reacting to the video, Governor Eno accused political opponents of orchestrating its resurfacing to distract from his administration’s second anniversary celebrations and to smear his image.
“The video was recorded in the heat of grief, shortly after my wife died,” he said. “My daughter is here with her husband, and we remain a united family. Those behind this are simply trying to exploit our pain for political gain.”
He appealed to the public to stop reopening painful wounds, emphasizing the traumatic impact the loss had on his children. “I’ve lost my wife already. May her soul rest in peace. Please stop bringing back sad memories.”
Despite the controversy, the governor reassured his supporters that he remains focused and undeterred. “We are in the political season, so these distractions are expected. But I remain committed to delivering the dividends of democracy to the good people of Akwa Ibom,” he said.
