Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has signaled a possible defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), urging the state to align politically with the federal government for greater development opportunities.
Speaking during a town hall meeting in Ikot Abasi, Governor Eno stated that the decision followed extensive consultations with stakeholders across the state.
“We are progressively moving forward, linking Akwa Ibom to the centre. I know you’re going with us. Are you going with us, so we can connect to the centre?” the governor asked attendees.
He continued,
“We’ve done enough consultation. The time has come for us to move, and we will go to where God is leading us.”
The governor called on citizens to believe in the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stressing that political isolation would only further marginalize the state.
“We are already a minority state in Nigeria. If we come again and start breaking ourselves into pieces, we become the minority of the minorities and cannot get anything.”
Governor Eno has consistently praised the leadership of President Tinubu, recently asserting that the President will remain in office until 2031.
Meanwhile, speculation of a similar move by Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has drawn comment from Ijaw National Congress President, Prof. Okaba Benjamin, who said on Channels Television that defections are commonplace in Nigeria’s political terrain.
“We don’t have political parties; we have platforms put together for people to transmit from one position to another,” Benjamin noted.
The recent statements by Governor Eno mark a significant political shift in the South-South and may shape regional alliances ahead of the 2027 general elections.