By Patrick Titus, Uyo
It is factual, not imaginary, that almost six months after Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno officially defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the governor’s pictures are still on display at the PDP secretariat in Atan Offot, Uyo Local Government Area of the State.
It was also found when journalists visited the State Secretariat of the PDP on Wednesday – November 12, 2025 that the governor’s 2023 campaign posters were still hanging on the walls of the Secretariat.
This was, in addition to the official portraits of the past chairmen of the PDP, beginning with the founding chairman since 1999.
Checks further showed that the ambience of the Secretariat was in good condition with the premises well maintained and electrical fittings still functional, an indication that it was still being well funded.
This was against the belief that the party Secretariat which was seen as the biggest in the country would suffer a neglect due to paucity of funds as the governor was expected to shift funding to his new party.
However, officials of the party did not say why the governor’s picture who had since defected to the APC, was still hanging in the PDP Secretariat.
“I am not in a position to comment on it,” a party official who preferred anonimity said.
It was also found that there was a heavy presence of policemen around the premises, with one police operational vehicle permanently stationed at the entrance of the edifice.
Following the governor’s defection in June this year, he had directed that members of the state executive council defect with him to the APC while those who would not move with him should resign.
The erstwhile chairman of the PDP, Aniekan Akpan who did not defect with Governor Umo Eno has however, maintained his office and has remained a member of the PDP but has continued to attend events organised by the APC-led administration in the state.
Investigations have revealed that the
governor’s defection to the APC has split the PDP into two camps with one faction led by Barrister Umoren Iquat, announced by the National Working Committee of the party after the Aniekan Akpan-led Exco was dissolved.
The National Working Committee of the party had, last month, sacked the Aniekan Akpan State Working Committee of the party, replacing him with another Exco led by Mr. Iquat Umoren.
This decision was however, countered by a letter from the party’s National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
Akpan had shortly at a press conference told journalists that he remained in charge of the party in the state, urging members to disregard the earlier statement that his Exco has been sacked.
He said the National Working Committee (NWC) that allegedly sacked them never had any formal meeting before they settled on such decision, adding that the PDP National Secretary has issued a press statement in that regard.
“Furthermore, we have it on good authority that the National Working Committee (NWC) of our party did not convene any formal sitting to take such a decision.
“The National Secretary has issued a press release discountenancing such publications, affirming that no formal sitting of the NWC was held to sanction the dissolution of our state Exco.”
However, a group known as PDP Advocates for Peace and Justice led by a chieftain of PDP, Dr. Tom Fredfish had expressed delight over the sacking of Akpan’s executive, accusing him of anti party activities.
According to him, Akpan has been romancing with Eno which he said weakened the party in the state.
“it is an open secret that Aniekan Akpan has been fraternizing with the APC while pretending to remain in the PDP. No one can serve two masters; therefore, he should stop deceiving the public, quit the PDP, and formally register with his new political home – the APC, it said in a statement.
The continued presence of the governor’s campaign posters within the PDP secretariat is seen as a confirmation of the governor’s resolve to remain in APC while still controlling PDP, a development which has not gone well with PDP loyalists in the state.
Efforts to speak with a faction of the party led by Aniekan Akpan were not successful as he was not in the office when our reporter visited the party secretariat. His phones were not also reachable.
“He is not in the office, he may have travelled because he usually comes to work everyday,” an official of the party to told reporters.
Akwa Ibom has been the stronghold of the PDP in the south-south region as it had won all elections since the return to democracy in 1999.
With the governor’s defection and the emergence of two factions of the PDP, it remains to be seen how the political pendulum of the state would swing to, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
