President Tinubu recalls his days as a Mobil auditor in Akwa Ibom, describing his visit as a homecoming during project inaugurations in Uyo

President Bola Tinubu has recalled his years as an auditor with Mobil in Akwa Ibom State, describing his visit to Uyo on Friday as a homecoming as he inaugurated projects executed by Governor Umo Eno’s administration.

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The President said he had worked in the state before entering politics and recalled his involvement in activities he said contributed to the development of Ibeno and Eket.

“This is a homecoming for me. I was here in Akwa Ibom as a Mobil auditor. We built Ibeno, developed Eket, and did what we had to do. I never dreamed that I would become president to commission an airport named after my then-colleague governor (Victor Attah),” Tinubu said.

The President arrived in the state to inaugurate several projects, including the international terminal building at Victor Attah International Airport, an international airport hospital and the Ibom Aviation Village.

Other projects scheduled for inauguration include the Airport-Okopedi Road, which connects communities in Nsit Atai and Okobo Local Government Areas; Ring Road 3, linking Idoro Road to Ikot Ekpene Road through Uyo and Ibiono Ibom; the AKWA-GIS Office Complex, Command and Control Centre, and ARISE Palm Resort.

The Victor Attah International Airport was established during the administration of former governor Victor Attah, who governed Akwa Ibom from 1999 to 2007.

The facility was initially known as Ibom International Airport before it was renamed in Attah’s honour in November 2018 by his successor, Udom Emmanuel, during a banquet marking the former governor’s 80th birthday.

The Federal Government upgraded the airport to international status in November 2025 after an assessment by the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.

The airport subsequently began international operations, with Ibom Air launching its maiden international flight from Uyo to Accra, Ghana, in May 2026.

Tinubu’s visit also comes ahead of the 2027 general elections and follows Eno’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress in June 2025.

The governor has declared support for Tinubu’s re-election bid. The President is also scheduled to attend an APC rally at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.

Tinubu’s connection with Akwa Ibom dates back to his career in the oil industry.

He joined Mobil Oil Nigeria after working with accounting and consultancy firms, including Deloitte and GTE Corporation, and later rose from the company’s audit department to become its treasurer.

In a 2012 interview with P.M. News, Tinubu said he was initially recruited into Mobil’s Corporate Audit Department in the United Kingdom before being sent to Nigeria to audit the company’s operations.

He said he subsequently accepted a position in the Nigerian operation after some company executives persuaded him to stay.

Mobil, through its joint venture with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, undertook infrastructure projects in Akwa Ibom, including road construction and the provision of electricity and water to communities around Eket and Ibeno.

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Mobil later became part of ExxonMobil following the 1999 merger between Exxon and Mobil.