By Aniekan Umanah
It was a day when history and purpose converged, closing one chapter and opening another in bold, progressive print.
On Friday, June 6, 2025, the Banquet Hall of Government House, Uyo, Akwa Ibom’s iconic House of elegance and political gravitas overflowed with a diverse and expectant crowd. From early morning, waves of people streamed in: party loyalists, faith leaders, youth representatives, women leaders, and Nigeria’s political elite.
At the center of it all stood Governor Umo Eno, declaring a conscious, deliberate transition from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). It was not an impulsive decision, but one forged through months of deep consultation with stakeholders across the state and nation.
Perhaps the gravity of the day was best captured in the tone-setting remarks of Ambassador Assam E. Assam (SAN). The respected elder statesman called the move “a masterstroke in pragmatic leadership and statesmanship.” With the weight of experience and clarity of purpose, he urged Akwa Ibomites to “look beyond partisanship and behold purpose,” framing the day not as an end, but the beginning of a new collective possibility. His words set the tone: measured, hopeful, and decisive.
What marked this as no ordinary realignment was the convergence of several serving Progressive Governors, who traveled to Uyo to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with one of their own. Leading the delegation was Senator Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum. With him were Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi), Monday Okpebholo (Edo), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Prince Bassey Otu (Cross River), and Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo).
Their presence was not just symbolic, it was strategic, and a full-throttle endorsement of national alignment.
By midday, the Banquet Hall reverberated with chants of “On your Mandate we shall stand!”
Then came the defining moment.
Governor Umo Eno, calm and resolute, stood beneath a banner of unity and addressed his people. Quoting the Dalai Lama, he spoke of embracing change while holding firm to one’s values.
“Though I have changed my political affiliation,” he said, “my values, my moral fibre, and the fundamental principles I have nourished and lived by remain unchanged and sacrosanct.”
“Why am I in the APC?” he asked. “The answer is short and simple: Enlightened State Interest and the need to align our state with the Centre to attract more national benefits.”
Akwa Ibom, as the highest contributor to the nation’s economic wealth, especially in oil and gas, cannot afford to operate at cross-purposes with the Federal Government, which holds the levers of national resource allocation. “Strategic alignment,” he said, “is not submission, it is smart governance.”
To unlock opportunities in infrastructure,industrialization, and human capital development, Akwa Ibom must sit at the decision-making table, not stand outside the room.
Governor Eno praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, describing him as “a man of courage and vision” whose economic reforms, though bold, are beginning to yield long-term benefits. He recalled his admiration for Tinubu’s governance legacy in Lagos and offered unreserved support for the President’s second-term ambition in 2027.
In the same breath, he voiced strong support for Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s continued leadership of the National Assembly in 2027, asserting that Akwa Ibom stands to gain by having strong presence and voice in both the executive and legislative arms of the national government.
Governor Eno’s move, while tactical , is deeply strategic, rooted in a long-term vision to secure Akwa Ibom’s relevance in the evolving political landscape of Nigeria.
The symbolic presentation of the APC broom, performed by Senator Uzodinma amid thunderous applause, marked more than just a party switch. It was the culmination of a coordinated, calculated movement of vision and values.
One by one, political structures across the state pledged support. The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Udeme Otong; National Assembly members, led by Senator Ekong Sampson; members of the State Executive Council, led by Prince Enobong Uwah; local government chairmen, led by ALGON Chair Dr. Uwemedimo Udo; as well as youth and women groups, all declared solidarity:“We stand with our Governor. We move with him.”
Amidst the euphoria, Obong Stephen Ntukekpo, APC State Chairman, stood confidently, not as a lone opposition figure, but as host to a political homecoming. His message was clear: “The APC in Akwa Ibom has opened its arms wide. And the state has walked in, strong.”
In a goodwill message on behalf of the Senate President, his wife , Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio described the Governor’s action as “courageous, visionary, and unifying.”
Throughout his address, Governor Eno assured the people that the ARISE Agenda remains unshaken and on course.
“Political parties are just vehicles,” he said. “Good governance is the destination. Akwa Ibom will become a model of how to build beyond partisanship, how to work together, stay together, and grow together.”
Politics, he emphasized, should not be seen as war, but as a game of strategy, much like soccer .
Sometimes, teammates during the club season wear different jerseys during national duty. But the goal is always clear: to win, to raise the banner, to make your people proud.
Governor Eno has not only demonstrated a clear understanding of the political game and changing times ; he has shown smart political sagacity, inclusive, strategic, and forward-thinking leadership . And Akwa Ibom will be better for it.
The signs are unmistakable: the political winds have shifted in his favour. As 2027 approaches, Governor Eno stands tall—not just as Governor, but a performer who has aquintted himself creditably through his highly impressive performance in the last two years and as a new national political force, with expanding goodwill, broad alliances, and a governance track record rooted in vision and humility.
In june 6, the Governor closed with a whisper of quiet poetry:
Let us arise together, like rivers finding the ocean,
Not to fight the old, but to build the new.
With that, a new chapter in Akwa Ibom’s political journey began. A grand rally is expected in the coming days to formally welcome Governor Eno and his supporters into the progressive fold.
The winds have shifted. The sails are up. Akwa Ibom is charting a bold new political course embedded in unity, national relevance, and full visibility for its people.
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Post Script:
With the politically charged events of the day behind him, Governor Umo Eno, on the same June 6, departed Uyo for Nice, France, to honour an international engagement. at the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3).”where he was scheduled to speak on the theme: Rising Sea Levels in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria: Impacts, Mitigation/Adaptation Efforts. The Governor did !
ETIM ETIM is a veteran journalist and PR professional with over 35 years of cognate experience.
He is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Policy & Politics (www.policyandpolitics.com.ng), an online newspaper dedicated to insightful analysis of Nigerian news and world’s report. He is also a columnist with BusinessDay and The Cable and is a regular contributor to other newspapers.
Contact: +234802 3159969 (WhatsApp Only)
