Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Aniekan Umanah, has dismissed as “baseless, misleading, and utterly infantile” the article authored by Ekemini Simon, alleging that the State Government is withholding the 2025 Supplementary Budget from the public.
Speaking with journalists at the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Complex ahead of the Governor’s presentation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill, Dr. Umanah said government is fully aware of the writer’s “intent and purpose”, describing his consistent attempts to run down the administration as nothing more than a bid to justify funds collected from donor organisations under the guise of “investigative journalism.”
He cautioned a section of the press to get their full facts and consider the interest of Akwa Ibom State before engaging in what he called “black journalism.”
The Commissioner clarified that there is no secrecy whatsoever surrounding the 2025 Supplementary Budget. He explained that the document was first laid before the State Executive Council, deliberated upon, and publicly presented by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning. It was subsequently transmitted to the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, where it went through the legislative process and was passed before receiving gubernatorial assent.
“Where then lies the secrecy?” Dr. Umanah queried, describing the insinuation as a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and undermine the credibility of the government.
He reiterated that the supplementary budget is within timeline for upload and that Akwa Ibom remains one of the most transparent subnationals in Nigeria, stressing that Governor Umo Eno’s administration is committed to openness, accountability, and responsible stewardship of public resources.
