The PDP Advocates for Peace and Justice (PAPAJ) issues this new year press briefing to present a frank, issue-based, and people-oriented assessment of the Umo Eno-led APC administration and its much-advertised ARISE Agenda in Akwa Ibom State.
After two and a half years in office, the PDP Advocates for Peace and Justice (PAPAJ) regrets to state that the ARISE Agenda has largely remained a political slogan without substance, failing to translate into measurable improvements in the lives of ordinary Akwa Ibom people. This we wish to present through the available facts below:
- Agriculture:
Agriculture which should be the backbone of food security and economic stability, has failed woefully under this administration. Akwa Ibom remains one of the states in Nigeria where food prices are unbearably high and beyond the reach of the average household. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Selected Food Price Watch Reports of March 2024, September 2024, and July 2025 consistently showed that prices of staple foods such as garri, rice, beans, and yam in Akwa Ibom ranked among the highest in the South-South region.
Similarly, The Punch Newspaper in its editions of June 18, 2024, and October 9, 2025, identified Akwa Ibom as a largely consumer state with weak agricultural production and poor government support for farmers. There is no clear agricultural policy, no visible farmer support framework, no meaningful mechanization, and no value-chain development.
A government serious about agriculture cannot preside over hunger and inflation without accepting responsibility.
- Rural development
Rural development under the APC administration has been largely cosmetic. Beyond the construction of isolated structures that serve more as political showcases than functional interventions, rural communities remain abandoned. Community assessments and civil society monitoring reports conducted between January 2024 and November 2025 revealed the absence of motorable rural roads, potable water, rural electrification, and functional healthcare facilities across many communities in Akwa Ibom State.
Development is not about building “houses for widows”; it is about improving access, livelihoods, and living conditions, and this administration has failed in that regard.
- Infrastructure
Infrastructure has become a plaything of propaganda rather than a tool for development under Umo Eno ARISE agenda. After two and a half years in office, the governor cannot point to any visible legacy project that can be confidently associated with his name. Reviews published by ThisDay Newspaper on April 22, 2024, and Premium Times on August 14, 2025, confirmed that most projects commissioned by the administration are inherited, rehabilitation, or lack significant economic impact. Projects are either abandoned after ground breaking, recycled, or announced without execution, making infrastructure governance without impact an exercise in deception.
Closely linked to this failure is the collapse of power infrastructure in the state. Residents across Uyo and other parts of Akwa Ibom reported prolonged power outages between November 28 and December 5, 2025, as documented by local radio stations, online news platforms, and community forums. The resulting attempt by youths to protest persistent power failure represents a clear vote of no confidence in the administration’s handling of electricity and energy supply. Such grievances are protected under Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), and ignoring them risks alienating the very population the government claims to serve.
- Security
Security under the APC administration has also witnessed a disturbing decline. For the first time in the history of the Christmas Village celebrations, multiple cases of car theft were recorded during the APC-led Christmas programme held between December 1, and January 1, 2026.
These incidents were widely reported by victims and eyewitnesses and circulated across social media platforms. Such occurrences were unheard of during PDP administrations, even when attendance at Christmas Village events was significantly higher. The failure to secure public spaces, especially during state-sponsored events, reflects poor security coordination and preparedness.
- Education
Education under the APC administration has been treated as an afterthought. With very low budgetary allocations, the sector continues to suffer from acute teacher shortages, dilapidated classrooms, lack of desks and benches, and poor learning environments.
An analysis published by The Punch Newspaper on December 26, 2025, showed that Akwa Ibom’s education budget falls well below UNESCO’s recommended benchmark of 15–20 percent. Furthermore, WAEC Chief Examiners’ Reports for 2023 and 2024, alongside NECO performance summaries for 2024, confirmed Akwa Ibom State’s declining performance in national examinations and academic competitions. This represents a sad reversal from the state’s once-proud educational standing and a dangerous mortgaging of the future.
Other areas of low performance by this administration are in economy and job creation, healthcare, youth and governance, and transparency.
To conclude, the ARISE Agenda has failed to arise beyond rhetoric. Governance in Akwa Ibom State under the APC has been characterized by poor prioritization, weak implementation, and a clear disconnect from the realities of the people. The PDP Advocates for Peace and Justice reiterates that while we do not support chaos or violence, we firmly support the constitutional right of citizens to demand accountability, transparency, and effective governance. Akwa Ibom people deserve leadership that delivers results, not excuses.
As a new year begins, we call on the Governor Umo Eno administration to abandon canvasing for endorsements for a second term in office, propaganda and return to the basics of governance, and urgently address the glaring failures confronting the State and his administration.
Signed:
Dr. Tom Godwin FredFish
Chairman/Converner
PDP Advocates for Peace and Justice (PAPAJ) – For accountability, equity, and good governance in Akwa Ibom State.
January 1, 2026
