Akpabio’s Aide Who ‘Congratulated’ Gov Eno on Wife’s Demise Apologizes for Gaffe

An aide to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Uduak Udo, has issued an apology following a widely criticized slip of the tongue during an interview. Udo, who serves as Akpabio’s Protocol Officer, mistakenly “congratulated” Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, over the “successful demise” of his wife, Patience, in a video that has since gone viral.

The comment, made during an interview at the Essien Udim Local Government Day at the Akwa Ibom Christmas Village in Uyo, sparked outrage, with many interpreting it as a mockery of the First Family. Udo has since described the incident as an unintentional verbal slip, blaming the error on a failure to edit the footage before its release.

In a statement, Udo expressed deep remorse and sought forgiveness from Governor Eno, the First Family, Senate President Akpabio, and others impacted by his words. “The recent viral video in which I said, ‘I congratulate the governor on the demise of his wife,’ has caused me great pain and consternation, and I would like to set the record straight,” he said.

He explained that his intended remark was to congratulate the governor on the “successful and befitting burial” of his late wife, but his words failed to convey this due to what he called a “verbal slip.” Udo likened the situation to similar misstatements by public figures, citing former U.S. President John F. Kennedy’s famous 1963 speech in which a translation error led to him declaring, “I am a jelly doughnut,” instead of expressing solidarity with the people of Berlin.

“I regret the incident and offer my profound apologies to all those affected remotely and otherwise by this faux pas,” he continued. “This was a clear case of a disconnect between my thoughts and my utterance, something that happens occasionally to everyone.”

Udo also apologized to Senate President Akpabio, whose office was indirectly associated with the controversy, and to his family and friends for any embarrassment caused. “It has been a very troubling time for me, and I pray that God will give me the grace to navigate out of this painful labyrinth,” he added.