EXCLUSIVE: Akwa Ibom Governor Eno Accused Of Deducting '15% Compulsory Tithe' From Political Appointees Who Earn Around N450,000 Monthly

The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has been accused of lying about the salaries of his Personal Assistants (PAs), with evidence showing they earn less than half a million naira monthly and are made to let go a compulsory 15 per cent as "tithe."  

Governor Eno had on August 22, during a Town Square Meeting with the people of Ikono and Ini Federal Constituency at Ibiaku Ntok Okpo, declared that none of his Personal Assistants (PAs) earn less than one million naira monthly.

He had said, “I received a brochure about a PA who used part of his earnings to construct and reticulate a borehole in his village. That’s commendable. But others with similar opportunities are not engaging their communities meaningfully.”

He stressed, “Let it be clear: no Personal Assistant to the Governor earns less than one million naira monthly. It’s misleading to describe such as a ‘stipend.’ That’s substantial income, and I expect transparency and accountability from all political appointees.”

According to payslips obtained by SaharaReporters, the PAs do not receive up to half a million naira in monthly remuneration, contrary to the governor's claim that none of them earns less than one million naira monthly.

One of the appointees, who spoke to SaharaReporters on condition of anonymity, said, "Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno is a criminal. Evidence abounds." 

The appointee alleged that the governor deducts 15% of their salaries as compulsory tithe every month, regardless of their church affiliation.

The appointee stated, "The pastor turned governor had for nearly three decades been alleged to have been forcefully removing tithes from his workers' salary at his private company, Royalty Hotels and Resort, Eket in Akwa Ibom State before he became governor."

"During the electioneering campaigns in 2022 this matter came up but Eno denied the allegations," the appointee said. 

The appointee regretted that after becoming governor, Umo Eno went back to what he knew how to do best and began to deduct from source about 15% from the salaries of his appointees/aides as compulsory tithe every month. 

"It doesn't matter the church the appointee belongs to, he must surcharge tithe from their monthly salary," he stated.

He said that PAs upon appointment in 2O23 were entitled to N350,000 monthly net salary as shown in their appointment letters. 

"But the appointees were shocked that only N304,000 was paid every month between 2023 to May 2025. N46,000 per month were usually deducted from source as tithe.

"In June 2025 ahead of the governor's infamous defection to All Progressives Congress (APC) and in order to pacify his appointees he announced their salary increment to N500,000 net salary per month. 

"This increment was not officially communicated to the appointees in writing," the source further revealed. 

"But the appointees were surprised that beginning from June 2025, they received bank alert of just N425,000. Again, N75,000 representing 15% was deducted as tithe in favour of the Governor."

Meanwhile a source told SaharaReporters that Governor Eno has 5000 PAs, adding that following the deductions from their salaries, he rakes in N375 million every month. "Every year the governor takes home N4.5 billion stolen from his PAs' salaries. This is excluding what he is stealing from the salaries of his Special Advisers and Senior Special Advisers."

Manfred Ekpe, a human rights activist, described the governor's actions as "exploitative, extortion, and a criminal offense." 

He said, "It is illegal and a gross contravention of international and municipal labor laws for an employer to compulsorily and without consent, make non-statutory deductions such as tithes from his employees' salaries."

Ekpe added, "Governor Eno is the only governor in Nigeria that delights in blackmailing his appointees in advancement of a holier-than-thou attitude."