Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has said his decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party and openly support President Bola Tinubu was based on conviction and honesty.
Umo Eno officially defected from the PDP to the APC in June 2025.
His defection was marked by a formal ceremony at the Government House in Uyo, where APC leaders welcomed him into the party.
In a Punch report, Eno said he has assumed leadership of the APC structure in Akwa Ibom. He claimed the baton was handed to him by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during an APC stakeholders meeting.
He described the change in power as a “merger, not an acquisition,” and called on party members from ward levels upward to embrace unity and work together for the party’s growth.
Speaking on Arise Television on Friday, Eno said, “Everyone has their conviction and what they live for. Personally, I am convinced beyond any doubt that this president is doing well. And I have several instances, and politics itself is dynamic.
“I appreciate that we have always been a PDP State. I appreciate that a lot. And I appreciate the platform upon which PDP provided that I became governor.
“But also, the constitution permits that we move. So movement, when you have to support what you believe in, shouldn’t be a problem.”
The governor explained that it took him several months to justify his decision to the people of Akwa Ibom.
He acknowledged Akwa Ibom’s long history as a PDP stronghold and expressed gratitude to the platform that brought him to power, but insisted the Constitution allows freedom of association.
Eno praised Tinubu’s economic reforms, especially subsidy removal and changes in the power sector.
“This president met this economy in shambles. Naira is stable. It went up and down, it’s getting stable. We begin to see the reforms he’s doing: tax reforms, electricity reforms.
“He came on and said fuel subsidy will stop from day one. How many presidents will have that boldness? We’ve had even military presidents who tried to remove fuel subsidy, but they couldn’t. He said from day one, he moved it. Very unpopular thing to do. Now puts the money to the states to be able to provide the services. Slowly and steadily, the economy is ramming up back and things are happening. And so why would I not support this president?”
The governor stressed that his choice was about transparency.
“I can’t be saying, I’m in one party in the day and in the night I’ll be going to Aso Rock to pledge loyalty. So it’s better and best I let people know where I stand. I think that was what happened.”
On why he did not remain in the PDP while supporting Tinubu, he explained that remaining in the PDP while openly backing Tinubu would have amounted to anti-party activity.
He said he preferred to be transparent about his stance rather than appear double-faced.
“I like people to know where I stand at a certain time and I pursue it. I wouldn’t want to have issues with the PDP saying, look, I am supporting the president and I’m here. There are people in your party that are doing exactly the same thing. Well, we are not all made in the same mold,” he said.
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