By Aniekan Umanah
Open governance is more than a political buzzword. It is a deliberate philosophy of transparency, accountability, and citizen participation , a belief that leadership should not merely announce decisions but open the doors for citizens to see, question, and contribute. Globally, some of the best examples can be seen in Estonia’s real-time e-Government platform, where almost every public record is a click away; in New Zealand, where the Prime Minister fields unscripted questions monthly; and in Brazil’s Porto Alegre, where participatory budgeting allows citizens to directly decide on projects and spending priorities.
Governor Umo Eno is weaving these principles into Akwa Ibom’s political fabric. Like Estonia and New Zealand, he uses open forums, the media, and in-person engagements to make governance transparent and interactive. And like Porto Alegre, he physically tours the State’s Federal Constituencies to brief the people, obtain their NEEDS Documents, and ensure citizens’ input directly shapes the 2026 People’s Budget.
August 7, 2025, will remain a landmark in the State’s governance calendar. Two years into his administration, Governor Eno stood before citizens, professionals, the live media, and civil society leaders at the Socio-Economic Impact Assessment of the ARISE Agenda in Two Years. The event, themed Measuring Progress, Deepening Impact, was not a one-way speech. It was a scorecard, an interactive session, and an open invitation to critique , live-streamed for all to see and participate in.
He spoke like a storyteller under the evening moonlight, numbers woven with narratives, facts softened by the quiet poetry of service. He told of 205 ARISE Compassionate Homes already completed out of 400 planned, ₦78 billion committed to clearing long-standing gratuity arrears, and retirees now covered by medical insurance. Over 130,000 citizens have enrolled in the ARISE Medical Insurance Scheme, a city of people now shielded from the fear of falling sick without help.
The Governor described both rural and urban roads , 770 kilometres in total that shorten not just distances, but grow opportunities; the new model healthcare centres and model schools across every local government area, rural intervention projects no longer left to dream; and tourism infrastructure such as the ARISE Resort, the 5,000-capacity Convention Centre, Ibom Hotels, Ibom Towers, and more. And he reminded the audience: all this was achieved without borrowing , a rare fiscal discipline in a political climate often defined by debt.
The gathering was no echo chamber. Present were Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, who commended Governor Eno’s emphasis on data-driven development and urged other states to adopt similar transparent review processes; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources ( Gas ) Obongemem Ekperikpe Ekpo who praised the Governor’s rural development efforts assured of continued partnerships with the federal government to realize the lofty ideals of the ARISE agenda in the State and National Bureau of Statistics representative, who assured of Partnership with the State Bureau of Statistics noted that Akwa Ibom’s socio-economic indicators were now among the most progressive in Nigeria.
Prof. Akpan H. Ekpo, the lead discussant, called for a rolling development plan that would survive political cycles; Dr. Reuben Abati of Arise TV pressed for greater community participation in project selection; and ace financial analyst Nancy Illoh-Nnaji of AIT urged urgent cost-of-living reduction strategies.
The Governor responded without defensiveness clarifying, listening, and making notes and commitments for improvement.
This was more than a midterm review; it was a public audit and a cultural shift in leadership. Suggestions and critiques were acknowledged, not glossed over. Our elders say, “If you fear the verdict, don’t bring your yam to the village square.” Governor Umo Eno brought his yam, peeled it, and invited everyone to taste it. He passed the midterm test with a pledge to make openness a governance habit.
Open governance thrives when leaders invite scrutiny and citizens engage with facts, clarity, and constructive solutions. Governor Eno has left no one in doubt that he intends to sustain this practice of good governance , a living case study in how Nigerian democracy can mature beyond elections into a continuous, honest conversation between leaders and the people.
Aniekan Umanah writes from Abak, Akwa Ibom State.
