Onyeche Wofurum Igwe
With just a few days to the formal defection of the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, to the All Progressives Congress, APC, many of his loyalists and aides, have already shown signals that they would prefer to be out of favour with the governor than join him to carry the broom.
Some of the governor’s aides say they would prefer to remain in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with Eno’s predecessor, Deacon Udom Emmanuel, who has insisted on remaining in the main opposition party.
Penultimate week, Eno had threatened to sack his appointees if they refused to join him to the APC. He had told them to resign honourably if they were not willing and ready to leave the PDP.
He had also said that even after leaving the PDP, he would still be in charge of the party. He did not say if he would be playing same role that the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike is playing-remaining in the PDP but working for and calling the shots in his state chapter of the APC.
His position has angered many loyal PDP members who have vowed neither to follow him to the PDP nor allow him to still have a grip of the party after he must have left.
It is becoming apparent that Eno’s decision to leave the PDP is borne out of the fear of being denied a second term opportunity. Recently, the governor had disclosed that if he remained, contested and won his re-election in the PDP, he may be sacked if the election is contested in court, because of the contentious issue of who the PDP national secretary is.
But TNN has gathered that Eno may have been more disturbed about the role of the senate president, Senator Godswill Akpabio in the 2027 election if he did not work with him in the same political party.
He may have been afraid that Akpabio would work against and frustrate him before, during and after the general election, hence his decision to shun his predecessor and godfather, to work with Akpabio, to secure a second term victory.
One of Eno’s aides, the Special Assistant on Digital Youth Mobilization, Edidem Monday Itoro, has already notified him publicly, that he would not join him in the APC, but would remain with Udom in the PDP.
In a letter of resignation addressed to a commissioner in Eno’s cabinet, Itoro, who also serves as the Digital Youth Mobilizer, stated in pidgin English, that he was not prepared to join the APC.
He said ” You don hear the tori wey dey fly up and down say oga wan defect go APC? Abeg, I no follow. Na PDP I take swear loyalty during my appointment, and na PDP I go follow enter retirement. You sef don see how dem dey threaten say if you no wan follow go, make you waka? Na marching order wey no get rythm be that. I no get strength to dey dance Etighi for APC rally when I never chop finish.”
“Even my appointment letter never reach frame before dem dey push person out like borrowed DSTV remote. I beg, make you help open my office make I carry my office fan, my flask, and that my plastic chair-na my first salary I use buy am. I no dey do again. I dey go village go open cyber cafe near borehole. Make dem carry their broom. I still dey hold my umbrella tight.”
