A tense calm has settled over Akwa Ibom’s political scene amid mounting speculation that Governor Umo Eno is set to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Sources in Uyo indicate that the governor may formally declare his defection today, Friday, June 6, 2025.
The anticipated switch is poised to trigger a political realignment in the state and test the allegiances of PDP loyalists, many of whom have remained conspicuously silent in recent weeks.
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The mood among political stakeholders is one of watchful uncertainty.
Observers are keenly monitoring which political heavyweights might follow the governor to the APC and which ones will remain in the PDP.
The silence from PDP elders and key figures is being read by many as a mix of shock, disapproval, and resignation—particularly given Governor Eno’s deep-rooted ties to the party that brought him to power.
Complicating the political equation are reports that several senior aides including Special Assistants (SAs), Senior Special Assistants (SSAs), and Personal Assistants (PAs)—may decline to follow the governor into the APC.
In a move seen as an effort to shore up loyalty, Governor Eno recently approved a significant increase in monthly allowances for his 368 ward-level PAs, raising their pay from ₦250,000 to ₦500,000 starting November 2024.
The governor has also ramped up grassroots-focused initiatives, including the reactivation of the state’s free food distribution program, scheduled to resume this June.
The program targets the most vulnerable residents, and many view its relaunch as a strategic effort to maintain public goodwill ahead of a controversial political shift.
Reacting to the allowance increase, the Dean of the Ward PAs, Aniefiok James, expressed appreciation on behalf of his colleagues. “We are overwhelmed by the governor’s generosity and unwavering commitment to our welfare,” he said.
“We remain fully behind the ARISE Agenda and stand with him in whatever direction he chooses.”
Adding to the political intrigue are reports that some disgruntled APC leaders have been quietly exploring a return to the PDP, even as the governor is rumored to be moving in the opposite direction.
This potential political crosscurrent could reshape the state’s power dynamics in the months ahead.
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