INEC Declares Pastor Umo Eno of ‘Happy Hour’ Fame Akwa Ibom Gov-elect

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno as the winner of the March 18 governorship poll in the state.

Eno polled 354,348 to defeat his closest rivals — Akanimo Udofia of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who scored 129,602 votes and Labour Party (LP)’s Uduakobong who got 4,746 votes.

Eno was declared the winner by INEC Returning Officer in the state, Prof Emmanuel Adigio.

Eno, a former Commissioner for Lands in Akwa Ibom, is the anointed candidate of the incumbent governor, Udom Emmanuel, whose two terms of eight years will end on May 29, 2023.

Prior to the election, Eno had declared there would be ‘happy hour’ in the state every Friday if elected into office.

Happy hour is a period of the day when drinks are sold at reduced prices in a bar or other such facilities.

In a trending video, Eno can be heard saying he’ll subsidise alcohol between 5pm and 6pm on Fridays.

“Every Friday, I will have what I call happy hour for the state. And what do I want to do with happy hour? It’s simple. I want to create business for people that have facility. So, we declare that between 5 and 6, these are the bars that will sell drinks at certain price,” he said.