AKWA Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has dismissed speculations that his much-discussed “happy hour” statement during the 2023 governorship election was a government policy aimed at sponsoring drinking sessions for civil servants or citizens.
News Point Nigeria reports that speaking on Arise Television on Friday, the governor said his remarks had been “completely taken out of context,” insisting that what he meant was the need for hardworking people to occasionally take time off to relax.
“Happy hour is, I believe, that if you work hard, you must find time occasionally to relax,” Eno explained.
“Like today, I’ve been working back-to-back from Sunday till Friday, and I said today I just want to relax. That, for me, is my happy hour. It wasn’t really meant to be time to go get drunk.”
Governor Eno further stressed that celebrations take many forms and are not tied to alcohol consumption.
“Every time you have an achievement and you celebrate, that’s happy hour. You have happy hour in church. You have happy hour everywhere,” he said.
He dismissed as “false and laughable” the online rumours that his administration had earmarked ₦18 billion for a so-called “happy hour” program.
“What kind of happy hour is that? I don’t know. I don’t have such subhead in my budget,” the governor said with surprise.
Eno, who described himself as “a happy governor leading a happy state,” embraced the teasing label given by his interviewer but insisted that governance remains his primary focus.
“I am happy. And we all seem to be a happy state. We are happy people,” he quipped.
The “happy hour” remark dates back to Governor Eno’s campaign days in 2023, when he promised that his administration would ensure citizens enjoy improved welfare and moments of relaxation. However, critics quickly twisted the phrase, portraying it as a pledge to sponsor drinking parties.
The issue resurfaced this week after online claims alleged that billions of naira had been budgeted for ‘happy hour’ activities, sparking fresh debate across social media platforms.
Governor Eno has now set the record straight, insisting there is no such provision in Akwa Ibom’s financial records.
