Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno has formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), marking a significant political shift in Nigeria’s South-South region.
Governor Eno made the announcement on Friday during a high-profile ceremony held at the Government House in Uyo, attended by several prominent APC leaders and governors from across the country.
In his declaration, Governor Eno said he has chosen to “progressively move to the APC,” adding that he had earlier submitted his resignation letter from the PDP to his ward chairperson. Eno was elected governor on the PDP platform in the 2023 general elections.
Top APC Leaders Witness Defection
The event attracted key APC figures, including: Hope Uzodimma, Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and Imo State Governor; Monday Okpebholo, Governor of Edo State; Francis Nwifuru, Governor of Ebonyi State; Bassey Otu, Governor of Cross River State
Others are: Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State; Dapo Abiodun, Governor of Ogun State; Sheriff Oborevwori, Governor of Delta State.
The presence of these influential APC governors underscored the party’s growing efforts to consolidate political power in the oil-rich South-South region.
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Governor Eno’s defection comes just weeks after Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori also switched allegiance to the APC, making Eno the second PDP governor in the South-South to do so in less than two months.
The defections signal a potential realignment of political forces in the region ahead of the 2027 general elections, where the APC is looking to strengthen its foothold.
Political analysts suggest that the move could significantly impact the PDP’s influence in Akwa Ibom and across the South-South geopolitical zone, traditionally considered a stronghold of the opposition party.
With Governor Umo Eno’s switch to the APC, the political landscape in Nigeria’s South-South continues to evolve rapidly. The coming months will reveal how this realignment affects both state and national politics as the country approaches another election cycle.
