Another PDP state Governor defects to APC

On Thursday evening, state governors and other influential political figures gathered in Akwa Ibom State in anticipation of Governor Umo Eno’s expected switch from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) today, Friday, June 6, 2025.

Among those who made their way to the Akwa Ibom Government House in Uyo were His Excellency, Senator Prince Bassey Otu, the Governor of Cross River State, and Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, who also holds the position of Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum. Additional prominent APC leaders are anticipated to arrive in large numbers this morning to welcome the governor into the ruling party.

This situation has created a sense of unease within Akwa Ibom’s political landscape, as many PDP stakeholders have chosen to remain notably silent. Sources affiliated with the party suggest that the leadership has been caught off guard by the rapidity and decisiveness of the defection.

Key figures within the PDP, including party elders, former officeholders, and political appointees, have refrained from making public statements, indicating potential internal discontent and subdued frustration.

Governor Eno’s defection occurs amidst rising tensions within his political circle. Reports suggest that numerous aides—including Special Assistants (SAs), Senior Special Assistants (SSAs), and Personal Assistants (PAs)—are unlikely to join him in the transition to the APC.

This shift is believed to have disrupted the PDP’s preparations for the 2027 elections and could complicate longstanding zoning and power-sharing agreements within the state.

Eno’s departure will further weaken the PDP’s influence on a national scale, limiting its control to just ten states: Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Enugu, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Taraba, and Zamfara.