AKWA IBOM — Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has revealed that he spent six months in consultations before officially leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC), stressing that his decision was strategic and in the best interest of the state.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Tuesday, Eno said it would be politically unwise for Akwa Ibom to remain in opposition while the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, hails from the state.
“I consulted for six months before moving; I didn’t just wake up and decide to move,” the governor said. “We have stayed in the opposition for so many years. There are enormous benefits to aligning with the centre. First of all, we have a Senate President in this country who is from here and we have to give him the support to be able to help.”
Eno argued that staying in opposition would only fuel unnecessary political sentiments. “We can’t have the Senate President in another party and we are here in the opposition. You know how politics plays out here — it will keep whipping up sentiments,” he noted.
The governor also voiced strong support for President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, crediting them with boosting state revenues and enabling development projects.
“I believe in the programme of Tinubu — this economy was battered and we were really low by the time he took over power. We have seen the efforts he is making and the reforms he is implementing, and he should have our support,” Eno said.
He added that Akwa Ibom has directly benefitted from the federal government’s policies, saying: “If somebody is doing well, you say he is doing well; if not, you say so too. If I can see the President, discuss our issues, and he listens and helps where he can, why should I work against him?”
Governor Eno’s defection marks a significant political realignment in Akwa Ibom, positioning the state closer to the centre of power ahead of the 2027 elections.
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