Last week’s defection of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno and other elected officials in the state from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has sparked outrage among a faction of the PDP stakeholders in the state.
Also read: A/Ibom governor moves from PDP to APC despite supporters’ opposition
The protesting group is demanding that the PDP National Secretariat should initiate legal action to declare the seats of all such defectors vacant.
At a press conference held in Uyo, the state capital, on Sunday, leader of the aggrieved group, Prince Jeremiah Akpanudoh accused the current PDP State Executive Council of colluding with the governor to ‘sell out’ the party to the APC.
Akpanudoh vehemently described Eno’s defection as a ‘betrayal of the Akwa Ibom people’, who, he stressed, granted him the mandate under the PDP platform in the 2023 general election.
He said: ‘His defection is seen as an act of double standards. He said he would defect to the APC while still holding on to the PDP, so no one else can use the platform for the purpose it was formed.
“This statement has caused disunity and confusion across Akwa Ibom’, highlighting the perceived duplicity.
The stakeholders urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the state Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC) to immediately declare Eno’s seat, along with those of any other defecting officials, vacant and to prepare for bye-elections.
He further disclosed that consultations are actively underway with legal experts to initiate a court action seeking a judicial interpretation of the legality of the governor’s defection.
The stakeholders also called on the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) to dissolve the current state PDP executives and appoint a new leadership capable of repositioning the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
‘It’s not just about PDP — it’s about protecting democracy. All elected officials who defected—be it the governor, deputy governor, senators, federal and state lawmakers, or local government chairmen—should vacate their seats immediately’, Akpanudoh asserted, broadening the scope of their demand beyond just the governor.
Reaffirming the PDP’s readiness to contest and reclaim political ground in 2027, Akpanudoh assured the public that the state is not a one-party state.
Also read: A/Ibom commissioner steps down, refuses to join Umo Eno in APC
‘Come 2027, PDP will present candidates in all elections. The will of the people must prevail by the grace of God’, he concluded, signalling a determined fightback against the recent defection.
