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  • Gov. Eno empowers 1,187 in Uyo constituency with ₦492.7m grants

    Gov. Eno empowers 1,187 in Uyo constituency with ₦492.7m grants

    Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has disbursed ₦492.7 million in farm, trade, and business grants to 1,187 beneficiaries in Uyo Federal Constituency.

    The grants were distributed during the Uyo Federal Constituency Town Square Meeting at Ibom Hall grounds, Uyo.

    Beneficiaries included 276 recipients of the ARISE Farmers grant, 628 for the ARISE Traders grant, 263 for the ARISE Equipment Support Scheme, eight beneficiaries of the ₦5 million MSME grant, and 12 car and mini-bus recipients.

    Governor Eno revealed that in two years, his administration has executed 116 projects across Uyo, Uruan, Nsit Attai, and Ibesikpo Asutan LGAs, ranging from roads and health centres to compassionate homes and primary schools. 

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    He said the meeting was aimed at receiving the constituency’s needs document for inclusion in the 2026 Peoples’ Budget while continuing empowerment initiatives across all constituencies.

    The governor credited the ARISE Youth Employment portal for a transparent selection process, commended Uyo residents for their massive turnout, and acknowledged the support of the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah. 

    He also thanked President Bola Tinubu’s administration for making funds available to states, enabling various empowerment and development projects.

    Governor Eno directed the Ibom Leadership and Entrepreneurial Development Center to train 50 members each from all recognised support groups for the next phase of empowerment and announced a federal government-funded ward empowerment programme for 1,000 persons per ward.

    He urged residents to remain united, avoid insults towards leaders, and support President Tinubu and APC candidates in 2027 to sustain developmental synergy. 

    He also celebrated Uyo-born Uduak Otu Ita, newly promoted Commissioner of Police, presenting her with a brand-new SUV as encouragement for young women.

    The event ended with the unanimous adoption of Governor Eno as Uyo Federal Constituency’s sole governorship candidate for the 2027 elections.

  • 2027: Udim APC stakeholders back Tinubu, Akpabio, Eno

    2027: Udim APC stakeholders back Tinubu, Akpabio, Eno

    In a bold show of unity, solidarity, and loyalty, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State held an extended stakeholders’ meeting last Sunday. Essien Udim, the hometown of the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, played host to this historic gathering—the first of its kind since the defection of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC. The governor’s defection, alongside elected officials and political appointees from the area, marked a significant political realignment in the state.

    At the meeting, APC leaders praised the growing synergy between Senator Akpabio and Governor Eno, describing it as a model of collaboration that should be replicated across party structures. They encouraged party members to actively participate in the ongoing membership registration and revalidation exercise, as directed by the governor and leader of the party in the state. Commendations also poured in for the Chairman of Essien Udim LGA, Ntiedo Usoro, for his inclusive leadership and efforts in fostering unity within the party. The lawmaker representing Essien Udim State Constituency, Prince Ukpong Akpabio II, was also lauded for his effective legislative work and cooperation with the council chairman.

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    Among key resolutions reached, the stakeholders unanimously endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in 2027. They also called for Senator Akpabio to be returned unopposed to the Senate and endorsed Governor Eno for re-election. This motion, moved by former State Assembly Leader, Dr. Etido Ibekwe, and seconded by Prince Akpabio, was unanimously adopted through a vote conducted by Emmanuel Sunday Akpan, a former member of the House of Representatives. The high-powered gathering brought together stakeholders from all eleven wards, including current and former lawmakers, council chairmen, board members, legislative aides, party leaders, women and youth leaders.

  • Akpabio hands over APC leadership in A’Ibom to Eno

    Akpabio hands over APC leadership in A’Ibom to Eno

    Senate President Godswill Akpabio has handed over the leadership and political structure of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State to Governor Umo Eno.

    Akpabio performed the handing over at the first meeting of APC Stakeholders in the State at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Uyo.

    Addressing the gathering, Eno urged the party’s leadership, from the Wards level upwards, to accept the movement and merger with open arms, in order for everyone to be beneficiaries of the movement.

    “This is a merger and as the Senate President has said, we must, therefore,  approach it with love, unity, and understanding. There has to be some sacrifices from both ends.

    “Let the leadership and members bring down the rhetorics so that we all can come together in droves and build a truly united All Progressives Congress in our State. 

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    “We have heard stories where some ward leaders have brought out lists of requirements for people that want to join the party as if it is a marriage ceremony. Honestly, that should not be. We should be happy that Akwa Ibom is getting united, and we are all better for it,” he said.

     Eno assured the stakeholders, especially Senator Godswill Akpabio, of his readiness to work together with the Party’s hierarchy, and support the ideology and interest of the Party for the overall good of the people of the State.

    “I just want to tell our people and the party that I am here to work with you. I am here to contribute to the growth of the Party. We will work with you, and give you that honour that you so rightly deserve”.

    Akpabio, who described Eno as a great unifier, a man of foresight and vision, said the governor’s leadership has brought peace and unity to Akwa Ibom and repositioned it for future growth.

    The Senate President described Eno’s movement into APC  as a merger, and not an acquisition and urged all members to join hands to work for the progress and overall interest of the State.

    He called on the Governor to integrate the State stressing that his position as the Senate President is not to lord over the Governor but to protect the interest of the State to ensure its progress, so as to leave behind a legacy of love, peace and unity for unborn generations.

    He announced the modification of the party’s slogan to encourage integration, love, unity and progress.

    Akwa.Ibom APC Chairman, Obong Stephen Ntukekpo, commended the Governor for his exceptional leadership style that has transformed the State to a united and peaceful haven.

    Ntukekpo assured the Governor of the willingness and support of the party’s leadership, urging members to submit to his leadership, guidance and direction, for the expected growth and progress of the State.

    The State APC Woman leader, Obonganwan Obonodo Uko, Youth Leader, Dr. Clement Awakessien, representatives of Chapter Chairmen, Mr. Utitofon Jeremiah, and representatives of ward chairmen, Mr. Edidiong Dama, appreciated the Governor for his inclusive leadership disposition and especially for reaching out to them even when he was yet to join the APC.

    They acknowledged that a good number of their members benefited from the Governor’s empowerment initiatives, and pledged their readiness to support the Governo to attain his lofty ideals for the party and the State as contained in the ARISE Agenda.

    The event was graced by members of the State Executive Council, and the political class.

  • APC group debunks alleged Akpabio’s plan to replace Eno

    APC group debunks alleged Akpabio’s plan to replace Eno

    The Progressives Congress Media Network (APCMN) has debunked allegation that Senate President Godswill Akpabio was conspiring to deny Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno a second term in office.

    The APCMN was responding to a viral video on YouTube by one Offiong Aqua that Akpabio was planning to field another person instead of Eno as governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.

    Director General of APCMN, Otuekong Iniobong John in a statement on Monday described Aqua’s allegation as a fabrication intended to tarnish the image of the Senate President.

    John also dispelled the insinuation in the said YouTube video that Akpabio used and dumped Senator John Akpanudoedehe, Nsima Ekere and Chief Don Etiebet.

    He maintained that Akpabio was totally committed to the reelection of Eno and President Bola Tinubu hence will not do anything to distort the political arrangement.

    The statement reads in parts: “The APCMN is compelled to respond to the malicious and baseless fabrications by Offiong Aqua on YouTube, aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

    “Contrary to Aqua’s false claims, Senator Akpabio has no plans to field any candidate against Governor Umo Eno in the next election cycle. We affirm that the Senate President is totally committed to the re-election of the governor for a second term. 

    “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu shares the same commitment, and there are no plans for a single term in Akwa Ibom State. We challenge Offiong Aqua to provide evidence of the person Senator Akpabio is allegedly preparing to field against Governor Umo Eno. 

    “The truth is, Governor Umo Eno will be overwhelmingly re-elected by the Akwa Ibom people on the platform of the APC in the next election cycle.

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    “Furthermore, we find it utterly insulting for Offiong Aqua to insinuate that our Governor, Pst Umo Eno, is demoralized. On the contrary, our governor is doing exceedingly well, and our people are thrilled with his exemplary leadership and remarkable achievements. 

    “His commitment to the progress and development of Akwa Ibom State is unwavering, and we have every confidence in his ability to deliver another term of outstanding service.

    “Additionally, we categorically refute the claims that Senator Godswill Akpabio used and dumped Obong Nsima Ekere, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, and Chief Don Etiebet.

    “It is a natural occurrence in politics for individuals to agree or disagree based on interests and ambitions, and this does not necessarily imply exploitation or abandonment. We urge Offiong Aqua to desist from peddling false narratives aimed at stirring up unnecessary controversy”.

  • Governor Umo Eno and the lynch mob

    Governor Umo Eno and the lynch mob

    By Ofonime Honesty

    Sir: In the court of public opinion, it is easy to condemn before understanding, to vilify before verifying. While Akwa Ibom State governor, Umo Eno’s decision to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) has gone down well with a great percentage of the populace, the governor has found himself in the crossfire of few. 

    I have read a couple of newspaper columns and also seen a vitriolic clip of a television interview granted by a Nollywood thespian cum politician. The views encoded in those communications were akin to brandishing hammer and nails to literally crucify a man who simply crossed a partisan line. 

    But before we sharpen our nails to literally crucify Governor Eno, we should pause and ask: is this decision justified, or are we being swept away by the tides of political sensationalism? 

    Must we always rush to judgment like a lynch mob baying for blood? Must we reduce every political calculation to betrayal without examining some of the difficult circumstances our leaders are left to navigate? What do the people of Akwa Ibom stand to gain or lose? 

    Defections are not new in Nigerian politics. They are as old as the Fourth Republic itself—driven by ambition, survival, or sometimes, genuine ideological realignment. 

    Let’s not ignore the elephant in the room—the deepening uncertainties within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Once Nigeria’s dominant political force, the party has been plagued by internal strife, dwindling influence, and a lack of cohesive direction. When a house is on fire, even rats have the good sense to flee. Why then should we expect a governor to remain trapped in a burning building out of some misplaced sense of loyalty? The PDP’s greatest undoing has been its inability to put its house in order. 

    From unresolved leadership tussles to its shrinking footprint in national politics, the PDP increasingly resembles a sinking ship, with key figures scrambling for alternatives. 

    Take for instance, a letter issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), dated June 13, addressed to the PDP. INEC was responding to PDP’s notification of intent to hold its 100th NEC meeting. 

    In the June 13 letter, INEC pointed out that the proposed NEC meeting was not in compliance with the requirements of Part 2(12)3 of the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, 2022, which provides that “the National Chairman and National Secretary of the Party shall jointly sign the notice of convention, congress, conference or meeting and submit same to the Commission.”

    The disputed acting national chairman of the PDP, Umar Damagun, was the sole signatory of PDP’s letter. Yayari Ahmed Mohammed is also laying claim to the national chairmanship seat. The national secretary-ship position is also involved in an unending tug-of-war between Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday Ude-Okoye. 

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    With the 2027 polls in sight, the PDP ship has become a theatre of the absurd. Any governor still clinging to its wreckage does so at his own peril—and more importantly, at the peril of his people. Of course, we know the legal implications of warring party officers endorsing electoral documents for aspirants. 

    Against this backdrop, can we honestly blame Governor Eno—or any pragmatic leader—for reconsidering his political home? If the PDP can no longer provide the stability or leverage needed to deliver for Akwa Ibom, what moral burden does he bear for seeking greener pastures? Politics, after all, is about power—and power is useless if it cannot be wielded effectively for the people. Power detests distractions. 

    The bigger picture: Akwa Ibom people cannot demand development but punish politicians who dare to cross party lines, even when such moves could lead to better alignment with federal projects or broader coalitions. If Governor Eno’s defection leads to the actualization of the Ibom Deep Seaport, I hereby endorse it. If his defection paves way for the release of humongous funds generated from 76 oil wells awarded to Akwa Ibom State by the Supreme Court since 2012, I hereby endorse it. Funds generated from the 76 oil wells, hitherto dragged by Cross River State, are stashed in an escrow account held by the presidency.

    I refuse to see his defection as mere leap into political oblivion.

    The culture of cynical condemnation without context is toxic for democracy. If we truly want genuine progress, we must learn to weigh political actions with wisdom, not just rage. 

    Let us evaluate his reasons, assess the implications for Akwa Ibom, and judge him based on his overall service at the end of his tenure—not just a single political decision. If a man switches parties but delivers good governance, is he truly a villain, or are we just prisoners of partisan bias?

    •Ofonime Honesty,

    Uyo, Akwa Ibom State

  • I’ve no problem with my predecessor, says Eno

    I’ve no problem with my predecessor, says Eno

    Akwa Ibom state governor, Umo Eno, has dismissed speculations of a rift between him and his predecessor and immediate past governor, Udom Emmanuel.

    Eno described such rumours as baseless and misleading, adding that his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has not strained his relationship with Emmanuel whom he referred to as his ‘political father’.

    The governor said this on Sunday at the 55th Anniversary celebration of Believers Assembly Evangelical Church of Nigeria in Uyo.

    “For those of you who think that because I’ve changed party, I now have issues with my political father, you got it wrong ,” the Governor declared. 

    “I have no problem with Deacon Udom Emmanuel. He remains my political father. Just last week, I was in his house in Lagos and we had a great time together.”

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    Eno urged Akwa Ibom people to disregard the false narratives aimed at creating disunity, stressing the importance of peace and unity in the state.

    “Our young people must understand that leadership is not easy. Let’s maintain the peace in our state and continue to drive the progress we are witnessing in the State . This is the only state we have, and we must not allow outsiders to destroy it. We must protect it at all costs.”

    While celebrating the founder of Believers Assembly Evangelical Church, Prelate (Prof.) Isaiah Isong, on his 55 years of ministerial service, Governor Eno lauded the cleric for his unwavering support and prayers for the state.

    “Through the fathers in faith, which you lead, you have constantly lifted up the government in prayers. I am glad that the government you laboured for in prayer is now in power. God has answered your prayers,” he said, praying for more strength and years for the cleric.

    Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the occasion and Member representing Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon. Unyime Idem, appreciated Prelate Isong and other clerics for their spiritual contributions to the peace and stability of the state, especially during the 2023 elections that brought Governor Eno to office.

    Earlier in his sermon titled “Mind Your Business”, taken from Philippians 2:12–16, Apostle Lawrence Achudeme, Founder of Victory Life Bible Church (VLBC), urged Christians to focus on personal and spiritual growth, avoid meddling into the affairs of others and the pulling down of others.

  • The real coalition

    The real coalition

    At last, the cleric as governor, Umo Eno, made good his word. He echoed the spirit of late Tony Anenih at the SDP convention in the 1990’s.

    Politics still crawled under the shadow of IBB’s transition programme. Anenih described M.K.O. Abiola as talk na do. But in the ethereal rhetoric of a pastor, an Eno would evoke Christ, not Anenih, the swashbuckling ex-police chief. Eno would rather go to the New Testament, and say “let your yea be yea, and your nay nay.”

    So, he did. He was no longer promising. Not for him again the dithering or keeping the nation on tenterhooks.

    He was in earnest about his move. He described his party – his then party – the PDP as a picture of the apocalypse. He might say it is a shipwreck; a plane headed to a crash.

    It is a fuddy duddy dizzy on a cliff’s edge, a hoary end. It is careening out of control. It is falling from the twilight into the dark. Goodbye PDP. Welcome APC. A swansong is not always an ending.

     For Eno, a new window opens. A new testament.

    Some in the PDP see it as betrayal. He walked through the governor’s portal as a PDP stalwart, and he changed garment. As he himself might say, the scripture sees the garment as the emblem of the heart. The outer appearance has no value if the interior has value. It is the heart that matters, not the hype or harp. Paul says in scripture that circumcision or uncircumcision does not profit, unless you circumcise the foreskin of the heart.

    Those who see it as a traitor’s act may invoke what Winston Churchill said in the days of parliamentary turmoil in post-war Britain. “It is easy to rat,” said the boisterous statesman of letters, “But it takes a certain amount of ingenuity to re-rat.”

    The great Chief Obafemi Awolowo was enamoured of that quote since the First Republic Western Region legislature boiled over with such a tempest of movements.

    Eno’s ingenuity lies in the way he did it. He promised and he delivered. As the poet Samuel Coleridge wrote, “anticipation is more potent than surprise.”

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    He was not like a stealth bomber that strikes without prophecy. He fulfilled his own. He was a B-2 bomber. He announced with a roar from afar; he struck and hit a homerun.

    His is different from that of the governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, who struck like the F-35 bomber. No one saw it coming. Yet, it was not a one-man action. He consulted obviously.

    The lawmakers were in. The party hierarchs were in. Ditto the local government authorities and the grassroots. As the story is told, even the non-indigenes were also consulted, and that accounted for the groundswell of solidarity when the party dumped the umbrella for the broom. How Governor Sheriff enacted the manoeuvre without a leak should be a stuff for not just historians, but a study in political science, mass psychology and sociology. Elias Canneti, where art thou? Max Weber, wake up.

    If I described the move of the Sheriff as a transplant, then that of Eno is a transfusion.

    “Many people change their minds in politics. Some change their minds to avoid changing their party. Some people change their party to avoid changing their mind.” That was Winston Churchill. But both Sheriff and Eno changed their party after changing their minds. With the people in PDP, they are changing their minds to avoid changing their party. Hence, they were in sync with Abubakar Atiku, but then they changed their mind about moving to a coalition. That hurt the Adamawa chieftain, and he sulked into Osun State recently.

    He still sulked for breakfast in a now viral video when he opted to team with a pariah with a profane tongue whereas he could lock step in a dance with the premier of the state.

    It is the poverty of Atiku. The man does not know how to play politics. He plays with malice. He projects an often dour look that chimes in with his lack of cheer or animation.

     He had no humour for Wike when he conjured the PDP ticket for himself in the last minute in 2022 primary. Rather than humour the Rivers State citizen.  He would not call him, or placate him, or strive for a common ground. Rather he held his ground with bilious insistence and let the party divide under him. He stuck with Iyorchia Ayu, a man who never had a job where he was not fired, including the job Atiku wanted him to hold. He held it at their mutual peril.

    The blind led the blind. He is playing humour of dark harmony with those who have no humour like him. Like Nasir El Rufai, who is now tumbling from party to party having been shooed out of his homestead in Kaduna State. Like Rotimi Amaechi, who makes humour from being hungry. He does not even know that you cannot be hungry when you make a bash costing tens of million of naira. It is what playwright Samuel Becket calls risus purus, a laugh laughing at itself. The tragedy is that the former transport minister is not laughing. That is the laugh.

    We can only say coalition is a will to activity. A mere whirligig. They have to act so as to seem to act. It is a coalition of the losers as I had written a few weeks ago. It is the coalition of the aggrieved. It is the consequence of interior pain. They are not happy that they lost.

    They did not exercise the spirit of sportsmanship. It is the spirit of malice, which the scriptures described as self-corrupting. Atiku likes to act as such because he wants to be in the news. He is ready to do a coalition of people who have no real structure.

    Atiku ran on a structure that had been established, and it is that of PDP. Now he wants to form his own coalition from the air, from nothing. He is supping with people he likes but who, like him, have pockets of followers.

    For instance, how much levers can El-Rufai pull in Kaduna State. He packed up his suite case and looked back at the yard to wave goodbye. No one waved back. No after-wave, so he left in his own waves, soundless.

    Or is it Namadi Sambo, former vice president, who is, to all intents and purposes, almost retired. He is a nice guy. Nice does not win votes.

    Or is it my good friend Amaechi, who has never pulled more than 15 percent of votes in Rivers State except when he sought his second term as governor.

    So, what we have is a parade of chieftains who want to make anger a strategy, apologies to Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN).

    But theirs is a shadow coalition. Pat Utomi may draw some humour here. They are a shadow coalition in that they are not real. They cannot agree on a party. They cannot agree on the members. They cannot agree on a leader. They cannot agree on a platform. They cannot even agree on humour.at least, not yet.

    Atiku is dour. Sambo is quiet. El Rufai is a boor. The Osun guy’s dance is poor and Amaechi is hungry. It is the stage and state of their coalition. “Most men die of their own remedies, not of their own diseases,” wrote French playwright Moliere. So do organisations and even civilisations. Coalition is their remedy and graveyard.

    But their foe that gives them the quake is making his own coalition without noise. Not long ago he had Delta. Then Akwa Ibom. The PDP is begging its men not to go. Even Fubara, who is at war with Wike, is being urged by some of the allies to move to APC. In the south-south, the APC is the dominant party.

    The battle is just starting, or is it? They were the first to start the move to 2027, and they have not even moved a step. Some of them are accusing the APC of starting the move towards 2027 whereas they did not allow the dust of defeat to clear from their homestead before they inaugurated their trot. They are spoiling for a fight. The terrible thing is that they want  spoils first. Remember the Kaduna guy already has decided who will be minister from APC’s cabinet.

    They are like what the poet Okigbo describes as the coming and going that goes on forever.

  • Why I joined APC, by Akwa Ibom gov Eno

    Why I joined APC, by Akwa Ibom gov Eno

    • 31 LG chairmen, lawmakers also dump PDP •Eno: I was inspired by Tinubu’s achievements to join APC
    • Three commissioners quit in protest •APC to gov: We’ll do everything to accommodate you

    Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno yesterday completed his switch to the All Progressives Congress (APC), three months after he first dropped hint of  the move.

    Completing the switch with him was an overwhelming majority of State Executive Council members, members of the State House of Assembly, federal lawmakers from the state and local government chairmen.

    Their mass defection is the second of such by a governor, lawmakers, commissioners and local government chairmen after the April dumping of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by its rank and file in Delta State.

    Although three of Eno’s commissioners yesterday resigned their appointments, opting to remain in the PDP, the other cabinet members and officials pledged their total support for the governor, saying they were moving with him to the APC because of his visionary and exemplary leadership style.

    On hand to welcome Governor Eno and the others to the APC were nine governors led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma who doubles as Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF).

    Uzodimma said the event was not a defection but a movement.

    “The people of Akwa Ibom are shifting to the progressive fold, and we welcome you warmly as you connect to the centre,” Uzodinma said.

    Addressing the audience, Eno said: “It was Dalai Lama, one of the world’s most highly admired moral voices, who spoke so eloquently about change and the constancy of values.

    “Dalai had advised the world to ‘Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.’

    “Today, fellow Akwaibomites, we are gathered here to witness change while equally affirming the constancy of our collective values and defining ethos as a 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 had provided the levers and ladder of my political ascendancy to the position of Governor of this State.

    “The discussions have elicited various layers of analysis in the process.

    “Today, I am here to answer some of those nagging questions. Like Dalai Lama had said, we should always be open to change but not let go of our shared values.

    “Earlier this morning, I submitted my formal Letter of Resignation from the PDP to my Ward Chairman. Same copy was sent to both the State Chairman as well as the National Chairman.

    “I have, therefore, decided to progressively move to the All Progressive Congress, the APC.

    “Standing before you today, I make bold to state categorically that though I have by today’s event changed my political affiliation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All-Progressives Congress (APC), my values, my moral fibre, the foundational principles I have nourished and lived by remain unchanged and sacrosanct.

    “Why am I in the APC, you may ask? The answer is short and simple: Enlightened State Interest predicated on the need to align our State with the Centre to attract more Federal presence.

    “Today, as I make this formal movement from the PDP to APC, I pledge to you again, my dear Akwaibomnites, that I will still run a bi-partisan and inclusive governance.

    “Akwa Ibom State, I promise you will be a model of how to work together, pray together, aspire together, dream together and achieve together without the polarising impulses of partisan politics.

    “Political parties remain vehicles for elections. I will continue to ensure that governance is done through the prism of bipartisanship.”

    Eno also said he was inspired to join the APC by President Bola Tinubu’s track record of achievements over the years.

    He added that as President Tinubu has displayed rare courage in confronting Nigeria’s daunting economic challenges and taking tough decisions to reset the country on the path of economic development.

    “President Tinubu, GCFR, has possibly, in recent history of this Nation, faced the most daunting economic challenges of any leader.

    “With boldness and deep convictions, he has faced these challenging moments head-on and come up with solutions that, though in the immediate aftermath are tough for Nigerians, but are beginning to bear long-lasting and sustainable effects.

    “The removal of petrol subsidy, though a hard decision, has brought more funds to sub-national entities to pursue audacious projects that are positively affecting the lives of their people.

    “Akwa Ibom State today is more of a construction site with many life-touching projects across the 31 local government areas.

    “The economic fog is becoming clearer, the confidence in our economy is growing and we need to support him to finish this huge task of national re-awakening and economic renewal.

    “It is a known fact that I have never hidden my admiration for the President and his patriotic devotion to national renewal which he is engendering today.

    “As a young professional working in Lagos while he was the governor, I was amazed and fascinated by the manner he ran Lagos, and had, with focus and vision, raised the profile of Lagos State to become a leading sub-national in the country, while facing daunting challenges.”

    He maintained that his defection to the APC was a gift to Tinubu, adding that he has absolute trust in the leadership of the APC-led federal government led by President Tinubu.

    “To those who may be concerned by this Progressive movement, I want to assure you that I have received enormous assurances of support and seamless integration from our dear President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and the Senate President, Distinguished Senator Godwill Akpabio, GCON, and the Progressive Governors’ Forum.

    “Those who know our dear President will attest to the fact that his words are his bond. This movement, falling on a day that we mark Sallah, is our own gift to our President, and it has divine connotation.”

    The Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah, on behalf of the members of the State Executive Council, pledged their unwavering support and alignment with Governor Eno following his defection to the APC.

    A prominent citizen of the state, Chief Assam Assam (SAN), described the defection of the Governor and his team as a new dawn in the political history of the state and presented a common front for the sustainable development of Akwa Ibom.

    The APC State Chairman Obong Stephen, Ntukekpo Local Government Chairs led by Dr. Uwemedimo Udo (Chairman of ALGON and Chairman of Uyo LGA), the State Executive Council led by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah, the State House of Assembly led by Speaker Udeme Otong, and members of the National Assembly led by Senator Ekong Sampson—all reaffirmed their support for the governor’s decision.

    In a goodwill message on behalf of the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, his wife Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio praised the governor’s courage and foresight:

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    “Your Excellency, you mean well for your people. This decision will strengthen our state’s connection with the national leadership.”

    The symbolic presentation of the APC broom by Governor Uzodinma, was the highlight of the ceremony.

    He said: “You will not regret this decision to join the Progressives. We are willing, able and capable. We are happy to receive you.

    “It is a home coming for you. We will support you. The President, the leader of our party, will support you. The National Assembly under the leadership of your brother, the Senate President Goodwill Akpabio will support you.

    “We will support Akwa Ibom State,” Governor Uzodimma said.

    Governor Uzodimma said President Tinubu’s reforms have started yielding the desired results and explained that like minds are needed to join him to turn things around completely in the country.

    He said Governor Eno has proven to be one of like minds as the Progressives Governors.

    Governor Uzodimma explained that Akwa Ibom would never be the same again following the decision of the Governor and the leaders of the State to link up to the national political grid, noting that “rather than interpret what happened as defection, I see it as a movement, a progressive decision.”

    President Tinubu was seen in video as he watched the defection on television on his return from the Eid el Kabir prayers.

    APC: It’s a significant boost to Akwa Ibom

    The national leadership of the APC expressed joy at the coming of the governor and his team.

    National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, said it was a significant boost to both the party and the people of Akwa Ibom.

    The governor’s move, Morka said, would advance the development of the state and align with the broader goals of the APC-led federal government.

    We are confident that his thoughtful decision will contribute to the greater progress of Akwa Ibom State and its people,” he said and assured the governor of its full support and cooperation as he integrates into the party.

    Morka pledged APC’s preparedness to work closely with the governor to ensure a smooth transition and to deliver dividends of democracy to the people of Akwa Ibom.

    At the event were Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi), Monday Okpebholo (Edo), Abiodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta) and Bassey Otu (Cross River), Budget and Economic Planning Minister Abubakar Atiku Bagudu

    APC Chairmen from neighbouring states, APC leaders including Group Capt Sam Ewang (rtd), former Deputy Governor Nsima Ekere, Sen Effiong Bob, former Minister of Petroleum and  former minister  Chief Don Etiebet.

    Three commissioners resign

    The three commissioners who resigned yesterday were Comrade Ini Ememobong, Emem Bob and Prof Emem Ibanga who manned the ministries of Special Duties/Ibom Deep Seaport, Finance, Works and Fire service respectively.

    They are loyalists of the immediate past governor of the state, Udom Emmanuel.

    Some lawmakers in the State House of Assembly like the member representing Onna State Constituency, Sunday Udofot Johnny, also declined to follow the governor to the APC.

    Ememobong, who served two years as commissioner for information in the Eno administration before his deployment to the ministry of Special Duties and Ibom Deep seaport, said his decision was “borne out of my belief in politics with principles and my long standing opposition to that political platform.”

    But he said his stance “does not affect my personal relationship with the Governor, who calls me his brother and reposed great confidence in me by saddling me with two very important ministries (Information and Special Duties & Ibom Deep Sea Port).”

    He added: “I have and will continue to have tremendous respect for HE Governor Umo Eno, even out of EXCO.”

    Delta State Governor Oborevwori, his immediate predecessor Ifeanyi Okowa and other heavyweights of PDP in the state had also dumped the party in April to join the APC.

    Vice President Kassim Shettima who received the defectors said on the occasion in Asaba that the APC, since its formation in 2013, has “been both the dream and the drama of Nigerian democracy.

    “So many predictions have been written about us as though we were an experiment doomed to fail.”

    He credited the party’s longevity to its collaborative approach, observing that “dialogue, not dictation, has been our shield against disintegration,” just as he said there was no way the party could have survived this long without listening to one another.

  • Thousands of PDP members defect to APC in A’Ibom council

    Thousands of PDP members defect to APC in A’Ibom council

    Ahead of Governor Umo Eno‘s planned defection, thousands of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members in Esit Eket local government area of Akwa Ibom state have moved to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The defectors from Ward 9 in Esit Eket were led to the APC by a former local government chairmanship aspirant, Eseme Udi, who vowed to ensure that APC takes over the state.

    Udi, a philanthropist and community leader hailed Governor Eno for charting the right political path for Akwa Ibom state, adding the state will fare better under APC.

    He said, “The people of Ward 9 have been marginalised, deprived, and oppressed. We are tired of being neglected. The people were just waiting for someone to lead the way, and that time has come

    “I have seen what the APC has done at the national level, I have the catalog of the activities of APC, and I believe there’s hope in the party. We are convinced that the APC will treat our people better than how the PDP treated them.”

    The APC leadership in Esit Eket Ward 9, led by Ward Chairman Mr. Samuel Akpama, warmly welcomed Udi and his co-defectors to the party.

    He expressed delight over the defection to his Party, he however advised them to be humble in order to benefit from whatever dividends that would accrue to the Party.

    The Esit Eket Chapter Chairman, Mr. Daniel Assam, described the defection as a “movement” rather than decamping.

    “It’s not decamping, it’s a movement. We welcome you with open arms. We thank the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, for organising the party’s growth.”

    He assured the new members of equal rights and urged them to respect the party’s constitution. “Anybody who comes with interest should drop it,” he advised. “Let’s work together to achieve our goals. Everything anybody wants is through consultation with the leadership of the Party.”

    The chapter Chairman also reminded the defectors and members that the Party is guided by constitution and that calls for total respect for its provisions and strict adherence

    Dr. Usoro Akpanuso, the immediate past legislator who represented Esit Eket/Ibeno State Constituency at the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, said that Ward 9, is a very important part of Esit Eket. So for the entire Ward to empty into APC is a significant political development.

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    He attributed the defection to the Lord’s doing. “It’s a sign of the party’s growing strength,” he said. “The rate of defection to APC across the country is alarming. It can only be God who is behind this exodus. Imagine PDP that people said that it’s a religion, about to move en masse to APC. It is unbelievable.”

    He praised Senate President Godswill Akpabio for his leadership. “The Senate President is the brain behind the growth of APC in Akwa Ibom State,” he said.

    Also speaking, the Deputy Leader of APC in Esit Eket local Government Area, Prince Enobong Harry, himself a former State Youth Leader of People’s Democratic Party, PDP, welcomed Pastor Udi and his supporters to APC. “Ward 9 is lucky to have a philanthropist like Pastor Eseme Udi join us,” he said.

    He drew the attention of the people to the new look the Ward office now wears; the office painting, the new signboard and the new flags,  he said is the handiwork of Eseme Udi.

    “Let’s work together to build a stronger, more prosperous community,” Harry advised.

    Other speakers from the Party, including Elder Urua Akpe-the APC State Auditor, the Chapter Woman leader, Elder Aniefiok Cobb, advised the new members to be humble and align with the party’s structure to ensure continuous growth.

    This development is expected to strengthen the APC’s presence in the ward and potentially impact the local political landscape. With Pastor Udi’s leadership and the APC’s growing presence, the party is poised to make major gains in the area.

  • Eno flags off construction of quarters for judicial officers

    Eno flags off construction of quarters for judicial officers

    Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has flagged off the construction of the State Judiciary Village with a view to giving judicial officers a convenient accommodation to enhance their job delivery.

    Flagging off the estate located along Idongesit Nkanga Avenue (Ring Road III) in Uyo, the Governor described the Judiciary Village project as a product of his administration’s inclusive governance.

    His words “This village speaks to our faith in inclusive governance. The judiciary plays a critical role in advancing the development of our people and our dear state. Today’s flag off marks our first major task that I am executing on the first day that begins our third year in office. In the coming days and weeks, we will keep flagging off projects across sectors, and put the building blocks on our march to prepare our state beyond oil through strategic investments in tourism and the digital economy.”

    The governor acknowledged the seamless and robust relationship his administration has with the judiciary to enable them to serve the people better.

    “For two years, we have had and have continued to have robust collaborations with the Judiciary in our determined efforts to provide the dividends of democracy in line with our governance blueprint –the ARISE Agenda, for our people.

    “Even though we respect the time-tested principles of separation of powers, on the issue of growth and shared prosperity of our dear State, the deepening of our peace, unity, and the promotion of inclusive governance, we are all on the same page,” he explained.

    According to the governor, the Judiciary complex is his administration’s special way of ensuring that the State judicial officers live in an environment that is safe and secure to help them execute their prescribed constitutional roles of interpreting the law and ensuring that the people live in an ordered and law-abiding society without fear.

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    “They didn’t ask for it, but we felt we needed to do it. It is not only judiciary quarters that we are building. Two days ago, I had the privilege of commissioning the first of the 31 Local Government Council Chairmen’s residences, which commenced at Eket. Work will now start in the remaining 30 Local Government Areas.

    Pastor Eno announced plans to flag off the Legislative quarters and another one for State Executive Council members, saying that the gesture is to underscore the priority given to the welfare of all the partners in the Akwa Ibom Project.

    The State Chief Executive warned the people against encroaching on government lands or building on unapproved lands or water ways as such buildings will be brought down by the government without any compensation.

    He appreciated the people of Ifa Ikot Okpon for securing the land for the government, and implored the judicial officers against allowing non judicial officers to have accommodation in the estate, as the buildings are specifically meant for them and not for any other individuals.

    Expressing the sentiments of the judiciary, the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Ekaete F.Fabian-Obot appreciated the governor for his passionate vision for the judiciary and the Judges in her time, describing the governor as a promise keeper.

    She thanked the host community, Ifa Ikot Okpon, for providing the land for the project to help actualise the vision of the governor for the state.

    The flag off ceremony was witnessed by members of the state’s Executive Council, business moguls, members of the political class, traditional rulers, and the general public.