The Peoples Democratic Party’s gubernatorial candidate in Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, has stated that he will withdraw from the 2023 race if the West African Examination Council (WAEC) proves that he forged his certificate.

He made this statement at Citizens Square, an event powered by the Pure Umo Royalty Eno Group (Sad da Initiative).

“Anything you see on social media about my WAEC certificates is a mere distraction. If WAEC says that I, Umo Bassey Eno, have forged my certificate in 1981, or 1983 and it is proven, I will not only quit being a gubernatorial candidate, I’ll quit being a Pastor.

“Let people rant all they want to rant but let them also know that it is emboldening me and empowering me to go on.

Pastor Umo Eno

“Everything they do is not going to distract me, what they are doing is the fuel needed to move me to the next level. There is no other commitment anyone would give than that which I have said today; my pastoral calling is not less important to me than serving the people of Akwa Ibom state.”

Pastor Umo Eno said that his strict parental upbringing would never have permitted him to forge his certificates.

He also stated that there was nothing wrong in resitting an exam to make up for papers he had failed to make previously saying that his story is that of resilience and focus despite the situation he found himself.

He charged the youths who attended the event to not be afraid of failure but be resilient enough to pick themselves up and move on.

“In 1981, 41 years ago, I never planned to be the governor of Akwa Ibom state, I was barely 17 years old and knowing the kind of parents I had, I would never have thought of forging, it never crossed my mind, it was not even in the lexicon at the time.

“There is nothing wrong in trying an exam under the circumstances I grew up in and then you go to take the exam again and pass the same subject.

“There is nothing wrong in failure, what is wrong is staying down. There is something good about falling and rising, that is the story every young person must learn from me; that you can fall but you do not stay down, you grow and move on.”

The PDP flagbearer in Akwa Ibom state encouraged the attendees at the event to inquire what developmental plans the people seeking to lead them would bring to the table if given the opportunity to serve in any capacity.

He urged them to choose someone who will champion job creation, eradicate unemployment and lead the state to prosperity.

Pastor Umo Eno lauded Governor Udom Emmanuel’s administration for opening the three gateways; air, land and sea to expand the economy of Akwa Ibom State.

He also said that the people of the state need to build their own economy, create jobs for the young people and put them to work so that they could enjoy the numerous facilities created by the Udom Emmanuel administration.

He said that Akwa Ibom needs a man who will create jobs and such a man must show how he has created jobs in the past, confidently stating that he has contributed to the economy of the state more than any other person in the gubernatorial race.

Pastor Umo Eno promised to create jobs in the private sector for over 10,000 Akwa Ibom people who are willing to work hard in his first year as the governor of the state.