Eno and the Dilemma of Defection

Recent comments credited to Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, that he would have preferred to remain in the Peoples Democratic Party suggests that undue pressure is being mounted on him to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress, Davidson Iriekpen writes

Recent lamentations by the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, suggests that he is under immense pressure to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC), contrary to the impression by the Presidency that the defections of politicians from the Peoples Democratic Party (APC) to the APC were of their free will and not coercion.

The Presidency through the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, and the APC had consistently denied accusations of foisting a one-party state by President Bola Tinubu, insisting that democracy is not under threat or undermined “simply because politicians exercise their rights of association.”

“Nigerians migrating to the APC and expressing support for Tinubu are doing so out of their free will, based on the belief that the reforms being executed are in the interest of Nigerians and the unborn generation. The opposition cannot blame President Tinubu and the governing APC for their poor organisation, indiscipline, and gross incompetence in managing their affairs,” Onanuga argued.

The PDP, Labour Party, and New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) are currently grappling with internal crises compounded by defections to the APC, which has left their parties in disarray. This has made some politicians to insinuate that the crises are being sponsored to weaken the opposition ahead of 2027.

But following the mass defections of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State; his predecessor Ifeanyi Okowa; deputy governor, Monday Onyeme; and many others from the PDP to the APC, a few leading civil society activists and political figures had expressed concerns over what they described as a calculated and systematic effort by the Tinubu’s administration to dismantle democratic foundations and reduce Nigeria to a one-party state.

They expressed worry over the weaponization of state institutions for partisan gain, adding that it undermines the “integrity of our democracy.”

Their views received tractions when the spokesperson to former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Paul Ibe, during a television interview, alleged that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chairperson, Ola Olukoyede and the Solicitor General of the Federation, Beatrice Jedy-Agba, met with a former and incumbent governor from a South-south state 48 hours before their defection. 

Though the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the anti-corruption agency vehemently refuted the allegation, and described it as unfounded and outrageous, it just refused to go away.

They stated that they never at any time coerced or held secret meetings with an opposition party governor to influence their defection to the ruling APC.

However, Governor Eno, while speaking at a meeting with stakeholders in Uyo penultimate weekend, said although he loves President Tinubu, he still loves the PDP and would have loved to stay in the party in spite of the crisis rocking it.

Despite his love for the PDP, he insisted on leaving the party, claiming that he does not have a roadmap that would guarantee a smooth sail in the 2027 election.

While boasting that even if he contested on the platform of a zero party, he would win the 2027 election due to his excellent performance, the governor expressed the fear that he was no longer sure the way things were going.

While he also alluded to the crisis in the PDP as part of the reasons why he is leaving the party, the governor said he would not allow someone’s mistake to ruin his reelection opportunity based on what he called the inconsistencies of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He said: “For me, it is no longer news that I am leaving the party (PDP). If you don’t know that by now I don’t know what else you know. I am a PDP person, I love the PDP and I want to stay in the PDP but clearly, I don’t have a roadmap to be able to guarantee that I will be able to have a smooth sail during the election, not because I won’t win the election.

“In this state today, with what we have done even if we contest on a zero party we will win the election. There is no doubt about it. We have worked very hard but you know that at the national level our party is not coming together. I am not going to be stupid staying to do that. I love my party. In any case, in this state, we are running as if there is no party. The only agenda we run in this state is the ARISE Agenda,” the governor said.

Indications that Governor Eno would find his 2027 reelection bid on the PDP platform difficult had emerged when the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, declared authoritatively in January 2024, that the APC would produce the next governor of the state.

Speaking at a meeting of the APC leaders in Uyo, Akpabio said it would be an aberration for him as the number three citizen of Nigeria not to have a governor from his party at the end of next elections.

“You know, wherever the Senate president is, that is where the party is. Is it possible that Nigeria will give Akwa Ibom the number three citizen and at the end of the election, it will not produce an APC governor?” he asked.

Akpabio’s earlier declaration and Eno’s current lamentations suggest that pressure is mounting on the governor from certain quarters to defect or lose his reelection bid.

Apart from the governors, the National Assembly is not spared of the defections with several lawmakers shifting their allegiance to the ruling APC. It is believed that many of the opposition lawmakers are assured of their return to the two legislative chambers if they defected to the ruling party.

The National Assembly is made up of 109 senators and 360 members of the House of Representatives. At the beginning of the 10th Assembly in June 2023 under the leadership of Akpabio, the APC secured control of 59 seats in the Senate and 175 in the House. The opposition parties, on the other hand, controlled 50 Senate and 182 House seats.

In the Senate, the PDP had 36 seats, LP eight, and other minor parties held the remaining six.

In the House of Representatives, the PDP had 118 members, LP 35, NNPP 19, and others held the remaining seats, with two seats vacant.

Since July 2023, the wave of defections has weakened the opposition, with at least 38 lawmakers – eight senators and 30 House members – switching to the ruling APC, further strengthening its grip on both chambers.

Several sources from the opposition and the ruling APC confirmed former governors were promised ministerial positions, while current governors were assured of return tickets, as well as the opportunity to choose their successors and nominate National Assembly members.

However, as the APC is rejoicing for the defection of members and leaders of the opposition parties to its fold, the opposition political parties have taken consolation in the fact that despite the massive support given to Tinubu by 25 governors in 2023, he defeated his opponents in only 12 out of the 36 states.