Akwa Ibom’s Gov Eno dumps PDP for APC

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).Eno defected in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State Capital on Friday.

“Having completed the rounds of my consultations as your servant, I have therefore decided to progressivesly moved to the All Progressives Congress (APC),” the governor said at a press conference in Uyo, the state capital, on Friday.

“We are not joining the APC from a position of weakness, we are joining the APC from a position of strength,” he added.

Eno said he decided to join the APC to fully support the economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu.

Eno’s defection occured some six weeks after his Delta State counterpart, Sheriff Oborevwori, left the PDP for the APC.

The possibility of Eno’s defection first became public knowledge in April whe he declared his support for the president’s re-election at the flag-off of the 65-kilometre, three lane dual carriageway section of the highway project in Nsit-Antai Local Government Area of the state.

Two weeks ago, the governor told his commissioners and appointees to follow him to the APC or resign their positions.

Eno was elected the governor of the South-South state in March 2023 and was sworn in as governor later on May 29 of the same year.

A native of Ikot Ekpene Udo in the Nsit Ubium Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, Eno was born on April 24, 1964, to the family of Mr Basey Umo Eno, a chief superintendent of police, and Deaconess Eka Umo Eno.

Eno graduated from the University of Uyo where he bagged a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Public Administration as well as a Master of Science in Public Administration.

He worked in different banks before he ventured into the hospitality business. The immediate past Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources in Akwa Ibom State is the founder of All Nations Christian Ministry International.

Some governors elected on the platform of  APC, are in Akwa Ibom State ahead of the official defection of Governor  Eno.

The governors stormed Uyo ahead of Eno’s imminent defection from PDP to the APC.

APC governors at the Akwa Ibom State Government House in Uyo include the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, Bassey Otu of Cross River State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State.

Others include Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, Monday Okpebholo of Edo State and Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State.

A few days ago, Eno had said it was time for him to officially move to the APC.

Speaking at a town hall meeting in Ikot Abasi on Wednesday, Eno said “it is time to move” and align the state to APC at the federal level.

The governor said the decision was taken after extensive consultations.