Governor Eno was joined in the switch by a majority of his cabinet, lawmakers from both state and federal levels, and most of the state’s local government chairmen
Breaking Ranks… Akwa Ibom Governor Eno, Cabinet Dump PDP for APC
Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno has formally joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), completing a high-profile defection that had been anticipated for months.
The move, announced at a packed rally attended by top APC figures, marks a major political realignment in the South-South state, long seen as a stronghold of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Eno was joined in the switch by a majority of his cabinet, lawmakers from both state and federal levels, and most of the state’s local government chairmen. The mass defection mirrors a similar political shift in Delta State earlier this year, when top PDP leaders crossed over to the ruling party.
Only three commissioners in Eno’s cabinet—Comrade Ini Ememobong, Emem Bob, and Prof. Emem Ibanga—resigned in protest, choosing to remain with the PDP. Despite their exit, the rest of the state executive council reaffirmed their support for Eno’s leadership and his new political direction.
Receiving the governor into the APC fold, Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Hope Uzodimma, said: “The people of Akwa Ibom are shifting to the progressive fold, and we welcome you warmly as you connect to the centre.”
In his address, Governor Eno invoked the words of the Dalai Lama, emphasizing the balance between embracing change and preserving values: “Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values,” Eno quoted, adding, “Standing before you today, I make bold to state categorically that though I have by today’s event changed my political affiliation… my values… remain unchanged and sacrosanct.”
The governor cited strategic alignment with the federal government as the driving force behind his move: “Why am I in the APC, you may ask? The answer is short and simple: Enlightened State Interest predicated on the need to align our State with the Centre to attract more Federal presence.”
Eno emphasized that despite joining the APC, his administration would continue to run an inclusive and bipartisan government: “Akwa Ibom State will be a model of how to work together, pray together, aspire together, dream together and achieve together without the polarising impulses of partisan politics.”
The governor also credited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as an inspiration for his move, praising his economic reforms and leadership courage: “President Tinubu… has faced these challenging moments head-on and come up with solutions… Though in the immediate aftermath [they] are tough… they are beginning to bear long-lasting and sustainable effects.”
He described his defection as a “gift” to the President: “This movement, falling on a day that we mark Sallah, is our own gift to our President, and it has divine connotation.”
The event saw the symbolic presentation of the APC’s broom insignia to Eno by Governor Uzodimma, who assured the defectors of full support from the party and the federal leadership:
“You will not regret this decision. It is a homecoming for you… We will support Akwa Ibom State.”
Also present were APC governors including Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), and Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), among others, as well as key party leaders and former PDP bigwigs who had previously defected.
APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, described the governor’s entry as a major boost:
“We are confident that his thoughtful decision will contribute to the greater progress of Akwa Ibom State and its people.”
Meanwhile, some figures from the PDP held their ground. Ememobong, one of the outgoing commissioners, said: “My decision was borne out of my belief in politics with principles and my long-standing opposition to that political platform [APC].”
However, he reaffirmed personal respect for Governor Eno:
“I have and will continue to have tremendous respect for HE Governor Umo Eno, even out of EXCO.”
The national leadership of the APC, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio—an Akwa Ibom native—and Vice President Kassim Shettima, celebrated the governor’s defection as further evidence of the party’s growing strength and inclusivity.
As Akwa Ibom recalibrates its political compass, many analysts see Eno’s shift as both a strategic move for federal alignment and a significant reshaping of regional politics. Whether this gamble pays off at the grassroots level remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: Akwa Ibom’s political landscape will never be the same.
