By Chinelo Obogo
Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has suggested that he might defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking to a crowd at a meeting in Ikot Akpankuk, headquarters of Ukanafun Local Government Area recently, Governor Eno said: “If you wanted to travel with Ibom Airline and on the verge of taking off, it developed a fault that won’t enable it to fly, won’t you board the next available plane to take you to your destination?”
The statement confirms an exclusive report published by Daily Sun, where it was revealed that more governors from the PDP would defect in the coming weeks to the APC.
A senior APC insider had informed Daily Sun that the ruling party expects at least 20 federal lawmakers and PDP governors to cross over soon. The source corroborated recent claims by the PDP spokesperson, Ikenga Ugochinyere, who alleged that 40 opposition lawmakers were planning to defect, though Ugochinyere’s warning appears to have inadvertently put more focus on the internal PDP crisis rather than APC defections.
Daily Sun also exclusively revealed that the planned defection is linked to a confidential agreement between President Bola Tinubu and several PDP governors, many of whom have pledged support for his 2027 re-election bid.
Daily Sun also revealed details of this pact which has exacerbated the crisis within the PDP and fuelled more distrust among its ranks.
Eno’s potential defection would represent another significant blow to the PDP, which has continued to struggle since it lost the presidency in the 2023 elections.
The governor’s comment is a clear indication that he views the PDP which has suffered numerous high-profile defections recently and has been embroiled in crisis as a political vehicle no longer capable of supporting his ambitions beyond 2027.
His comments came in the wake of Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborewori’s recent defection to the APC, along with numerous supporters. He cited these developments, describing the PDP as heavily fragmented and suggesting it may soon grind to a halt.
The PDP’s acting national chairman, Umar Damagum, had described Oborewori’s defection as unfortunate but expressed optimism that the defection would not have any adverse effect on the fortunes of the opposition party in the 2027 general elections. He said this is because the 2027 poll would be a direct contest between President Tinubu and the Nigerian people. He stressed that the outcome of the next general elections would not be determined by the number of governors a political party has.
However, Governor Eno urged his constituents to maintain support for his administration’s ongoing initiatives. The event concluded with an empowerment programme benefiting over 400 residents through business grants, vehicles and other assistance.