- Pushback drama unfolds at Town Hall meeting
BY UDUAK EFFIONG – Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno’s announced intention to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) may have suffered a temporary setback with a note of caution strongly delivered by his staunched supporters and well-wishers of PDP in the State.
With heated reactions trailing the governor’s recent comments and body language, indications are emerging that the road to political realignment in the State may not be as easy and smooth as anticipated by the governor and his associates.
The warning signals may have already reared their ugly heads following a dramatic scene that unfolded at the recent Town Hall meeting in Ikot Abasi where Governor Eno’s proposed defection plans got resounding ‘No’ response from the crowd, leaving him and his key officials momentarily stunned.
The governor had informed his supporters at the Ikot Abasi Federal Constituency meeting on Wednesday that following extensive consultations, he was convinced “it is time to move” and align the state with the ruling party at the federal level.
According to him, “We’re progressively moving forward, linking Akwa Ibom to the centre. And I know you’re going with us.”
Quite unsuspecting of what awaited him, the governor then threw the question at his audience, “Are you going with us, so we can connect to the centre?”
Shockingly, the thunderous “No!” that echoed as a response from the highly-charged audience, thoroughly overwhelmed the face-saving miserly “Yes” voices in the crowd.
However, notwithstanding the tense atmosphere that enveloped the crowded Ikot Abasi Local Government Ground, venue of the Town Hall meeting, Governor Eno, ignored the people’s unfavourable reaction to stay on course making a case for defection.
He told the gathering that Akwa Ibom urgently needs to “belong and be counted” in national politics, by supporting President Bola Tinubu and Senate President Godswill Akpabio ahead of the 2027 general elections.
To calm frayed nerves, a clearly uncomfortable Governor Eno further wooed his supporters thus; “We thank you for your support. I’ve gone round to consult… And so we have done enough consultation. The time has come that we will move. And we will go to where God is leading us.
“Do not be afraid. Believe in us. Believe in President Bola Tinubu because the future is bright.”
Further driving home his submission on the need to align with the centre, the governor said; “We are already a minority state in Nigeria. If we come again and start breaking ourselves into pieces, we become minority of the minorities and cannot get anything.”
He emphasized the importance of unity across party lines and declared that Tinubu, Akpabio, and himself must return to office in 2027.
With the latest development, insiders sources hinted that the Governor Eno may further delay his official announcement on abandoning the PDP’s ship for the ruling APC.
One of the sources told Forefront News that what is being expected as a major political shift in Akwa Ibom State may not come easy for the governor because many stakeholders are yet to be convinced that APC has anything good for the South South state as being claimed in the State government’s circles.
