Amidst speculations that he plans to defect to Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State said both his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the APC have the same “political ideology.”
Mr Eno, who stated this in his remark at the Town Hall meeting for Itu/Ibiono Ibom Federal Constituency on Thursday, challenged anyone to prove him wrong.
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“I have not seen, and I stand to be corrected. I am on national television. I want to be told, shown the political ideology of any party in this country that differs from the other.
“I want to see it. Show me the political ideology of PDP, APC, and YPP. Let us be frank with ourselves. Political parties are vehicles to a destination, and when you get there, you begin to govern everyone,” Mr Eno said at the gathering.
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Defection rumours
The PDP has governed the oil-rich Akwa Ibom since the return of democracy in 1999, prompting its members to describe the party as a “religion” in the state.
Mr Eno, who was elected on the party platform in 2023, has, unlike his predecessors, embraced opposition members of the state, particularly leaders of the APC, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the Minister of State for Petroleum (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo.
He has publicly endorsed President Bola Tinubu and Mr Akpabio for a second term, a move that may be considered anti-party. Mr Eno said he is supporting Mr Akpabio for a second term to continue as president of the Senate.
Mr Akpabio has also reciprocated the gesture by endorsing the governor for a second term.
At the event on Thursday, a former presidential adviser, Ita Enang, in his goodwill message, made a case for the governor to include members of the APC in the state empowerment programme.
Mr Enang, a former senator, who hails from the area, is believed to be nursing a governorship ambition in 2027 under the APC platform.
At the event, Mr Enang remarked that the APC were more than the PDP in the state in terms of numerical strength, a statement that prompted a response from Mr Eno.
“I’d like to say specifically that when our senator came, he raised some issues on national television. I need to give clarity. First, he said that they (APC members) are more than us (PDP). I’d like to ask our senator where they are because I can’t see,” Mr Eno said, prompting a smile from Mr Enang.
“As much as we can, we will continue to run an all-inclusive unitary government for our people. When it’s time for elections and the campaign, we will tell you which party we have come with,” the governor said, a statement that further strengthened his rumoured defection.
Grants and Empowerment
Besides collating a needs assessment from the people, which he said would form part of the 2026 budget, the governor has also used his ongoing tour of the 10 Federal Constituencies in the state to provide grants in various sectors, including agriculture.
However, the programme has come under severe criticism after the names of some privileged politicians and their relatives were listed as grantees in Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency.
For instance, Charity Idio, the immediate past state lawmaker in the area, and currently serving as an adviser to the governor, was a beneficiary of a one-million-naira agricultural grant.
Also, two wards of the state party chairperson were listed as beneficiaries of the grants in the same area, prompting outrage from the public.
On Thursday, Etetim Onuk, the immediate-past chairperson of Itu Local Government Area, was listed as one of the grantees.
Mr Eno, who acknowledged the outrage while responding to a concern raised by Mr Enang to accommodate APC members in the scheme, said beneficiaries were not selected based on party affiliations.
“We, as the government, did not put any name in the system. The portal is open to every Akwa Ibom person. We do not ask for a political party. Just register, and then we will come to verify your work.
“If, out of morality, we advise our leaders to exclude their wards from participating does not mean that those wards were not qualified. They are citizens of this state. They own farms, businesses, and were verified, but out of morality, I have advised that those of us who are running these schemes should not encourage our wards to participate.
“In this list today, they have pointed out some names from different political parties that have received grants. I am not working based on a political party. We are open to all Akwa Ibom persons – this is the government.
“When we want to do something for our party, we would do so, but when we are running a state, it is open to all. Nobody is asking you for a party. We are only asking you for your National Identity Number to be sure you don’t receive the grant twice,” Mr Eno explained.
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