Vice-President Kashim Shettima has assured Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State and his supporters that they would not regret their decision to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking on Saturday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, where he represented President Bola Tinubu at a grand reception in honour of the governor, Shettima said the APC was a home for Eno and his allies.
He disclosed that President Tinubu specifically asked him to convey a personal message of reassurance to the governor.
His words: “Mr President asked me to assure you personally: No one will question your place here. This party is your home. You will not be humiliated. You will not be forsaken.
“We are your brothers and sisters in the high tides and the low ebbs. We ride together, and we rise together.”
Shettima praised Tinubu’s commitment to democracy, noting that he had been a bridge-builder since the days of military rule.
He described the APC as a party driven by purpose rather than appearances, stating that it had remained the dominant force in Nigerian politics for a decade.
Also speaking at the event, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said Eno’s defection to the APC signalled political maturity and a willingness to align Akwa Ibom with the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to Akpabio, more governors from the South-South region may soon join the ruling party.
“Governor Umo Eno, after you, who knows? Rivers State will tumble. After Rivers, Bayelsa will join,” he said.
He added that Eno’s decision placed the development of the state above partisan loyalty and appealed to Tinubu to support the governor’s quest for the Ibom Deep Seaport to unlock the state’s blue economy potential.
In his remarks, Governor Eno said his defection was aimed at securing federal support for the Ibom Deep Seaport, a long-stalled project.
He described his move as a calculated risk done for the greater good of Akwa Ibom State.
“I took the risk because I want to get the Ibom Deep Seaport running. If I can achieve that, I will consider my time in office a success,” Eno said.
He pledged to remain governor for all, regardless of political affiliation.
APC national chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, while receiving Eno and his team into the party, said their entry validated Tinubu’s inclusive leadership.
He noted that the APC’s rising popularity in the South-South was proof that the president’s policies were resonating with the people.
“Our Renewed Hope Agenda is working. People are coming into our party because we believe in discipline, internal democracy, and progressive development,” Ganduje said.
He assured the people of Akwa Ibom that the Tinubu administration would prioritize the region’s environmental and economic needs, with a focus on youth employment and infrastructure development.