Akwa Ibom Governor, Umo Eno has announced his exit from PDP.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has declared his decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing internal leadership crises and his desire to openly support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu without being accused of anti-party activities.
In a viral video shared on Friday, Governor Eno stated that his continued stay in the PDP had become untenable, stressing that the party’s national disunity poses serious risks to electoral success and governance stability.
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“It’s no longer news that I’m leaving the party. If you don’t know that by now, then I don’t know what else you know,” Eno said, speaking frankly about his frustrations with the PDP’s national leadership.
He emphasized that his departure is not out of personal dislike for the PDP but rather a strategic move to avoid political setbacks tied to the party’s internal conflicts. “I love the PDP and I want to stay in the PDP. But at the national level, our party is not coming together. Every day we have issues,” he lamented.
Eno warned that unresolved leadership disputes at the national level could sabotage legitimate electoral victories. He referenced instances where candidates lost elections after successful campaigns due to paperwork errors caused by party leadership. “You win elections and still lose because the wrong person signed your INEC form. I’m not going to be stupid to keep doing that,” he said.
Drawing comparisons with the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, Governor Eno acknowledged his lack of political firepower to confront such internal crises. “I don’t have the strength Wike has to confront anybody. I’m a simple man by nature,” he stated.
Governor Eno also defended his support for President Tinubu, noting that he believes the president inherited, rather than created, Nigeria’s current challenges. “I support this president. I don’t know how to mince words. But I can’t remain in PDP and support a president from another party—that’s anti-party,” he said.
He stressed that Nigerian political parties lack ideological clarity, arguing that his administration is focused on the “Arise Agenda,” not party lines. “No party in this country has clear ideological differences. I challenge anyone to a debate on that,” Eno added.
The governor’s defection is expected to shift the political dynamics in Akwa Ibom and may inspire further defections in the South-South region.
