Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno is under criticism for allegedly deducting 15 per cent of the salaries of political appointees as a compulsory tithe.
Governor Eno, founder of All Nations Christian Ministry International, is also accused of making misleading claims about the earnings of his Personal Assistants (PAs).
At a Town Square Meeting with residents of Ikono and Ini Federal Constituency on August 22, the governor had declared that none of his aides received less than ₦1 million monthly.
“It should be clear: no Personal Assistant to the Governor earns less than one million naira monthly. That is substantial income, and I expect transparency and accountability from all political appointees,” he told the gathering.
However, documents and emerging payslips suggest otherwise. The records reportedly show that the PAs earn far less, with many receiving around ₦350,000 monthly in 2023, while deductions were made directly from source as tithe.
One of the affected aides, who spoke on condition of anonymity, accused the governor of perpetuating a long-standing practice. “The pastor-turned-governor has been removing tithes from workers’ salaries since his days at Royalty Hotels and Resorts. Now he is doing the same with appointees’ pay,” the source alleged.
The aide claimed that from 2023 to May 2025, appointees received ₦304,000 instead of the promised ₦350,000, with ₦46,000 deducted monthly as tithe.
He further alleged that after the governor defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in June 2025, salaries were reviewed to ₦500,000, but only ₦425,000 reached the appointees’ accounts. “Again, 15 per cent—₦75,000—was removed in favour of the governor,” he said.
Sources further alleged that with about 5,000 PAs under his administration, the deductions amount to roughly ₦375 million monthly and ₦4.5 billion annually, excluding alleged deductions from the salaries of Special Advisers and Senior Special Assistants.