My Relationship With Udom Emmanuel Remains Intact Despite Party Switch, Says Gov Umo Eno

Wednesday August 6, 2025
TheNewsDESK |

By Idorenyin UMOREN

The Akwa Ibom Governor, Pastor Umo Eno has said that his recent defection from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC, has not affected his relationship with his predecessor, Udom Emmanuel.

Speaking on the matter, Governor Eno described Emmanuel as his “political father” and stressed that there is no bad blood between them. He acknowledged the pivotal role the former governor played in his political journey, particularly in the 2023 governorship election.

Pastor Eno, previously served as a commissioner in Udom Emmanuel’s cabinet, and was personally endorsed by the former governor as his preferred successor.

Just two years in office, Governor Eno left the PDP for the APC, ending the 26-year PDP rule in the oil-rich state. He cited an internal crisis in the party and his desire to get the support of the government at the centre for infrastructural development in the state, particularly the Ibom Deep Seaport, as reasons for his defection.