In a significant political shift, Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has officially announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), citing the need to align the state with the federal government and remain politically relevant ahead of future elections.
Speaking during a town hall meeting with stakeholders and constituents at the Ikot Abasi Federal Constituency, Governor Eno said the decision followed months of extensive consultations with key political actors across the state.
“For some time now, the political space—particularly in this state and the nation in general—has been awash with the news of my likely movement from the PDP, the platform that provided the levers and ladder for my political ascendancy to the position of governor,” Eno stated.
The governor emphasized that his defection does not signal a departure from the core values and ideals that brought him to office. Quoting the Dalai Lama, he said: “We should always be open to change, but not let go of our shared values.”
Earlier on Wednesday morning, Eno disclosed that he had submitted his formal letter of resignation from the PDP to the party’s ward chairman, with copies sent to both the state and national chairmen of the party.
“I want to thank the People’s Democratic Party for their support, for their love, and for working with me in these past two years in the affairs of running the state of Akwa Ibom—across party lines,” he said.
Despite expressing gratitude to the PDP, Governor Eno described the moment as a defining one for Akwa Ibom, saying it is time for the state to “move forward progressively.”
“I have therefore decided—after due consultation with all the critical stakeholders across the length and breadth of this state over the last three months—that it is time to move,” the governor said.
“I believe that no one has ever moved progressively or changed party in this state after consulting as widely as I have done.”
Eno noted that his decision was made after an in-depth meeting the previous evening with key PDP stakeholders at the same venue, where he explained his reasons for leaving.
“As the children of Issachar, we must be able to interpret the times and flow with the times, not run against the tide,” he declared.
With this announcement, Governor Eno becomes the latest high-profile political figure in the South-South to switch allegiance to the APC, a move widely seen as strategic ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“I have therefore decided to progressively move to the All Progressives Congress,” he concluded, thanking the crowd repeatedly as chants of support echoed from sections of the hall. Governor Eno’s defection marks the end of his over two-decade-long journey with the PDP, under whose banner he rose from business leadership into politics, served as Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, and was elected governor in 2023.
