Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State says his planned defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) will be a “test of loyalty,” telling his political allies that it is from there he would know those who would “deny him”.
Mr Eno last week confirmed he is leaving Nigeria’s opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling APC. He told his commissioners to either join him in the APC or resign.
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Since the return of democracy in 1999, the oil-rich Akwa Ibom has been governed by the PDP. In the state, securing the PDP nomination is likened to winning the general election, prompting its members to describe the party as a “religion” in the state.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that convincing allies, including cabinet members and aides, to join him in the APC has been a herculean task, forcing the governor to resort to threateniFVng them with resignation.
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“We want our commissioners and members of Exco, appointees, and those of you who are saying that you would not come, you are free absolutely not to join me, but you won’t be in my State Executive Council.
“Prepare to resign the day I announce that I am moving because you cannot; you are an appointee, and your loyalty is fully to me. You can’t be in my cabinet and play anti-party. It is what it is,” the governor said.
“I am even begging you to come, you normally don’t expect it. You have the right not to support me again, but the right you don’t have is to remain in my cabinet after I leave. I am making it clear,” Mr Eno said, suggesting his cabinet members may have resisted joining him in the APC.
Despite these threats, PREMIUM TIMES gathered that at least two cabinet members are still unwilling to join the governor in the APC.
‘Test of loyalty’
Speaking on Tuesday in Eket, Eket Local Government Area, while commissioning the official residence for the chairperson of the council, Mr Eno told his allies that his imminent defection to the APC will be a test of loyalty for them.
“In the next few days, we will make some statements in this state. But you know what, one of my pastors said to me, it is God that makes this to happen so that loyalty can be tested.
“Sometimes, when people said ‘I am loyal’, Peter said to Jesus Christ, ‘Anybody who touches you has touched me. In fact, we will fight, but Jesus turned to him and said, Peter, you will be the first to deny me three times,” he said, referring to the Biblical figure, Simon Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples, who denied his master out of fear for his safety when Jesus was arrested and beaten up by soldiers.
Peter, an apostle, was afraid and did not want to die because of his relationship with Jesus. When people recongnised him as one of Jesus’ disciples, Peter panicked and denied knowing him three times.
“Very soon, all those who say we are for Mr Eno, we are dying with you, wherever you go. We are going to see those who would be the first to deny us, but I know local government chairpersons will not deny us,” Mr Eno added.
“The true test of loyalty is coming soon when you say, I’m loyal. We will test loyalty, we will test those who believe in the Arise Agenda,” Mr Eno said ahead of his official defection, which this newspaper learned is coming up early next month.
Council chairperson’s lodge
Agriculture and Rural Development, aimed at stemming the tide of rural-urban migration, are top priorities in Mr Eno’s ambitious economic blueprint: Arise Agenda.
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The governor has repeatedly said he wants the 31 council chairpersons in the state to live in their domains to understand the feelings of their people and bring governance closer to them
As a demonstration of his desire to actualise this, the governor sent a bill to the state assembly, but later withdrew before resorting to building a befitting lodge across the 31 council headquarters for chairpersons to live.
The Eket council lodge was a pilot phase, as the governor at the ceremony promised that those of the other 30 council areas would be ready in one year, saying that funding has been provided.
Before commissioning the lodge, the governor had earlier commissioned a model Primary School in the area, in a ceremony, where he approved the building of a new secondary school close to the primary school and offered immediate teaching employment to a mother of an indigent pupil, who, he said, was outstanding during a welcome presentation in his honour.
