Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has issued a decisive directive to his commissioners and political appointees, asking them to either join him in his planned defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) or vacate their positions.
Speaking during a State Executive Council meeting on Thursday, a video of which was shared by Channels TV on Friday, Governor Eno confirmed his intention to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing internal crises and concerns over the party’s national structure and electoral readiness.
“It’s no more news that I’m moving party. If you don’t know that by now, I don’t know what else you know,” Eno said pointedly. He emphasized that political loyalty to him as governor was non-negotiable, declaring that anyone unwilling to align with his new direction should be ready to resign on the day he officially announces his defection.
“I am told that some of you are saying you will not come; you are free, absolutely free, not to join me—but you won’t be in my State Executive Council,” Eno warned. “You can’t be in my cabinet and play anti-party. It’s not a threat; it is what it is. I won’t beg you to come.”
The governor attributed his decision to the PDP’s unresolved internal issues, saying he could no longer rely on the party to provide a fair and effective platform for future elections.
“I love the PDP, I want to stay in the PDP, but clearly, I don’t have a road map to guarantee a smooth sail in the elections,” he said. “With the work we’ve done, we can win even without a party. But at the national level, our party is not coming together.”
He concluded by expressing frustration over administrative lapses within the PDP that could risk disqualification of candidates, despite electoral victories.
“Every day, secretary this and that—so you take your form, they send it to INEC, you run and win the elections, then lose everything on technical grounds because the wrong person signed your form,” he added.
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