Akwa Ibom Councilors Reject Governor Umo Eno’s ‘Blind Bandwagon’ Defection Plan, Vow to Remain in PDP
As Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State nears a decision to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), elected local government councilors in the state have vowed not to follow him, citing a lack of consultation and respect for their grassroots positions.
A senior member of the Forum of Elected Councilors, speaking anonymously, told reporters that the governor’s failure to engage them in the political transition feels like a direct humiliation.
“Nobody has talked to us about defection, so we are not defecting anywhere. Elections are won in the wards, not in the government house. If the governor does not consult us, we will remain in the PDP,” the official said.
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While Governor Eno has reportedly consulted national and state legislators, local government chairmen, and other political actors, the councilors claim they have been deliberately ignored despite their significant influence at the ward level.
The forum member warned that without meaningful dialogue and negotiation, they would not follow what they called a “blind bandwagon.”
“Many of us have strong prospects for a second term under the PDP due to zoning arrangements. Defecting means risking everything by joining a party already dominated by other interests. How do we explain that to our wards and supporters?” he asked.
The councilors believe their electoral influence is underestimated, stressing that no political actor can secure ward-level victories without their backing. “The key stakeholders the governor has consulted cannot win in our wards without us,” the councilor added.
In response, a serving state government commissioner, speaking on condition of anonymity, dismissed the councilors’ concerns, insisting the governor owes no further explanations.
“The governor has already consulted and received the backing of the local government chairmen. That’s enough. Many of these councilors didn’t even win their elections on their own merits,” the commissioner said.
The commissioner also emphasized that Governor Eno has made it clear the defection is voluntary, and no officeholder is being forced to switch parties.
Elected under the PDP banner in 2023, Governor Umo Eno has yet to officially announce his defection. However, speculation and tensions within the PDP have heightened concerns about a possible political realignment in Akwa Ibom.
This standoff with councilors introduces a new challenge to what could become one of the state’s most significant political transitions since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999.
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