Eno: Rebuilding a Fractured Party in Akwa Ibom

Akpandem James writes about frantic efforts being made in the last six months by Governor Umo Eno to rebuild and unite all factions of the fractured All Progressives Congress in Akwa Ibom State.

Recently, President Bola Tinubu submitted 32 ambassadorial nominees for Senate confirmation. Seventeen of them were designated as non-career, while 15 were designated for career status. He had previously submitted three names for urgent confirmation. According to information from the Presidency, the list is still not final. Obviously, however, no nominee from Akwa Ibom State has appeared so far. The remnants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state are already asking, “So what was the rush in joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) by Governor Umo Eno all about?”

They point to the formidable presence of the Senate President, Obong Godswill Akpabio and the governor in the ruling party, yet the dividends are yet to be profound. This seems to be a case of typical opposition gloating, especially considering that the governor has only been in the party for about six months.

It also disregards the fact that the Senate President has taken steps to place Akwa Ibom indigenes in some strategic positions within the federal structure. Besides, the ambassadorial list is inconclusive.

Although sideswiping is common in opposition politics, it raises questions about what the governor has achieved with the merger of the PDP and APC in the state.

On the surface, it looks like what was left of the PDP after the 2023 general elections defected to the APC, but it seems more of a merger, as what is left of the PDP in the state is so infinitesimal that it will only use the 2027 election cycle to practice how to become relevant again.

APC has 24 of the 26 state assembly members and 30 of the 31 council chairmen. However, the question persists: what is happening in the APC in the state after the merger? The governor has been pronounced the leader of the party in the state; is he living up to the billing?

It is a fact that the governor formally joined the “Air Peace”, sorry, APC flight on June 6, 2025 when it was becoming obvious that, even though he had a boarding pass, the flight he was booked was not in good shape for the trip. It wasn’t that the APC in the state was much better, but it looked more set than the PDP for the journey ahead. It was like the best of two evils. The APC in the state was obviously disunited and fractured. It was the main opposition party in the state since it emerged from the merger of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigerian Peoples Party, faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the NewPDP in 2014. Even then, it had never truly been a truly formidable camp in the state, as it was a collection of leaders and warlords.

A closer look at the party in the state would reveal that it was once significantly supported by a group of “disgruntled” politicians. The key leaders and members were originally PDP stalwarts who were frustrated out of the once mega party.

Only few were original members of mainly the ACN and ANPP. Due to the experiences of the “Pilgrim Fathers” who escaped the PDP overlords in the state, they always felt apprehensive about immigrants, regardless of their intentions. So, it has always been a world of suspicion and contention. Senator Akpabio’s defection from the PDP to the APC in August 2018 reshaped the party. His arrival invigorated the APC, though it also threatened the influence of established power blocs.

The PDP hierarchy in the state understood the gravity of Akpabio’s move. They bided their time, sensing that Akpabio had become the unacknowledged shepherd of the APC flock. The opposition strategy was simple: strike the shepherd, and the flock would scatter. The APC’s internal divisions proved equally damaging. The PDP capitalised on this fractured house and struck the shepherd politically in 2019. But by 2023, when Senator Akpabio returned with renewed strength, the APC suddenly became more attractive as he was now well-positioned at the centre of federal power.

Meanwhile, the PDP at the centre had weakened dramatically. Its rapid decline raised questions not of recovery, but of how much worse it would get. In Akwa Ibom, the mainstream PDP read the political seasons like the sons of Issachar and chose to “follow who know road.” But what they met was far from a harmonious household.

True to its trajectory, the APC remained a divided structure of factions, egos and warlords. It was Governor Umo Eno’s lot to rebuild not just the party, but the confidence of the members and carry the people of the state along.

It is a herculean task. As party leader, he must dismantle entrenched factions and recreate a unified platform. He began at the grassroots, coordinating existing leaders and integrating newcomers from the PDP. The party register was revised, and new members were mobilised at unit levels. So far, the effort has been described as impressive. Since assuming leadership, the governor has visited the party secretariat and engaged with structures across Wards, Local Governments and the State executive. He has even pledged a new Secretariat, replicating what his predecessor, Udom Emmanuel, did for the PDP.

Previously, the APC had as many “stakeholders” as there were stakes in the ground. Without engaging them, progress would be impossible. The relative calm in the party today suggests the governor may have succeeded in reassuring many of them, at least for now. Last weekend, all leaders and members were directed to hold meetings across their local government areas. It was a sort of homecoming meeting, a novel political crusade in the state.

Although the governor is the state leader, the Senate President remains the highest-ranking political figure. His role in mobilising and integrating the party is pivotal, which explains why the governor met with party elders at his country home on Sunday, November 30, 2025. In politics, recognising a political heavyweight is indispensable for stability.

As expected in APC gatherings nationwide, members at these meetings declared support for the Governor, the Senate President and President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.

At the Senate President’s home, members pledged to break down camps and work together as a united family, as it seems trust and confidence have been built, and there is a renewed sense of confidence among the members and leaders. A notable sign was the presence of Obong Umana Okon Umana, the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, and Atuekong Don Etiebet, the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, at Senator Akpabio’s country home. It was the first time in 12 years. They were arch enemies before now. They never saw eye-to-eye.

-James writes from Abuja.