Akwa Ibom Governor, Pastor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has said that being a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) does not mean he has to insult President Bola Tinubu who is of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Mr Eno stated this on Friday, March 22, 2024, when he received in Uyo many members of other political parties, including the APC, who defected to the PDP in the state, according to a statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Ekerete Udoh.
Among those received into the PDP by the governor was a chieftain of the APC and a former House of Representatives member, Emmanuel Ukoette; a former spokesperson of the APC in Akwa Ibom, Nkereuwem Enyongekere; a former commissioner for Science and Technology in the state, Samuel Effanga; a former youth leader, the Young Progressives Party, Ubong Edem; former chairperson, Ukanafun Local Government council, Abasiono Udonfuk; and a former member, Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Mabel Udongwo.
“A lot of people have asked repeatedly: Are you in PDP? Yes! I am in PDP but my PDP is not the type that insults people,” Governor Eno said to the defectors, most of them former PDP members who left the party to seek political fortunes in other parties during general elections.
“So I want to beg you as you come back, one of the things you must drop is let’s not attack leaders.
“From the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we will and must show him support and respect. That is the PDP I run.
“We don’t attack leadership because what goes round comes round.
“If I have a suggestion, I have access to the president, we will go and give our suggestions. We will support our leaders and we will not fight them.
“I am a pastor trained to respect people and we must continue to show that all-important character of humility, of compassion and of respect to constituted authority.
“That, I shall continue to do. I and our Party will continue to collaborate with the centre so that we can bring dividends of democracy to Akwa Ibom. I will not fight the centre. Nobody will fight the centre. That is the point and now that you are coming back, that is what we will maintain. We will give peace a chance,” he said.
Why I’m A Different Kind Of PDP Member – Gov Eno
