Gov Eno Visits Akpabio With 8 Governors After Joining APC
BY PATRICK WEMAMBU
Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has visited Senate President Godswill Akpabio at his private residence in Uyo – after announcing his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday.
Akpabio took to his verified Facebook page to share the news, describing Eno’s decision as “historic” and warmly welcoming him to the ruling APC.
“It is with great joy that I welcomed our governor, Pastor Umo Eno PhD… to my residence… following the historic defection of my brother, Governor Eno… into the Progressives’ family,” Akpabio expressed. He also thanked the governor for putting the interests of the people first.
Eight APC governors, who were present during Governor Eno’s announcement, joined him for the visit to Akpabio. This group included the governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma (chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), along with the governors of Lagos, Ogun, Ebonyi, Cross River, Ekiti, Ondo, and Edo States.
The Saturday Times recalls that in April, Eno attributed his planned decamping to the APC to the alleged persistent internal conflicts within the PDP which, he said, created uncertainty around his political future.
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The governor noted that the party (PDP) lacked a clear roadmap to guarantee his re-election, suggesting that the instability made it difficult for him to continue under the PDP platform.
He said his defection would enable Akwa Ibom to benefit more from national development programmes and strengthen the state’s access to federal resources.
Speaking at a town hall meeting in Ikot Abasi Federal Constituency last Wednesday, Eno had said “it is time to move” and align the state to APC at the Federal level.
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The governor said the decision was taken after conducting extensive consultations.
According to Eno: “We’re progressively moving forward, linking Akwa Ibom to the center. And I know you’re going with us. Are you going with us, so we can connect to the center?
“We thank you for your support. I’ve gone round to consult and so we have done enough consultation. The time has come that we will move. And we will go to where God is leading us.
“Do not be afraid. Believe in us. Believe in President Bola Tinubu because the future is bright. We are already a minority state in Nigeria.
“If we come again and start breaking ourselves into pieces, we become the minority of the minorities and cannot get anything.”
Eno has always spoken highly of President Bola Tinubu, stressing that the president will remain in power till 2031.
