Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has issued a decisive directive to members of his cabinet and political appointees: either defect with him to the All Progressives Congress (APC) or tender their resignation without delay.
The governor announced this during a State Executive Council meeting yesterday in Uyo, the state capital.
His bold declaration marks a significant political shift in the state. It sends a strong message of allegiance as he prepares to realign his political base with the ruling APC at the national level.
Eno clarified that his planned departure from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on whose platform he was elected, is already public knowledge and not subject to negotiation.
He explained that his decision is driven by his deep admiration for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership approach and developmental agenda, which he says resonates with his vision for Akwa Ibom State.
“I have decided to align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu, and I expect every appointee who shares my vision to move with me,” the governor reportedly told council members. “If you are not ready to make this journey, I won’t compel you—but you must vacate your position.”
He stressed that this policy applies strictly to appointed officials—commissioners, special advisers, and board members—while noting that elected officials, including House of Assembly members and Local Government Chairmen, would be treated differently due to the constitutional nature of their mandates.
In further asserting political dominance, Governor Eno declared that even after his defection, he intends to retain control of the PDP’s political structure within the state.
He threatened those who may harbour ambitions of using the PDP platform to challenge his authority, describing such plans as unrealistic and bound to fail.
“I will still hold the reins of the PDP structure here. Nobody should think they can hijack it to fight me. That will be an exercise in futility,” he said.
Eno’s announcement has set the stage for a dramatic political reconfiguration in Akwa Ibom, a state long considered a PDP stronghold.
His defection and subsequent directives could reshape party loyalties and electoral dynamics in the build-up to the 2027 elections.
Political observers are now watching closely to see how many appointees will follow the governor to the APC and how this move will affect the political landscape of the South-South region.
