Africa-Press – Nigeria. Despite Governor Umo Eno’s bold steps of leaving the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the party that brought him to power, six months ago, the party has refused to let go of his photographs.
A visit to the PDP party secretariat at Atan Offot, Uyo on Wednesday showed Eno’s official portrait conspicuously displayed on strategic positions and offices while his campaign posters were seen on the walls of the secretariat.
The situation, however, has raised eyebrows by people even among PDP faithfuls questioning the rationale behind the display of the governor’s photos at the party secretariat even after he had formally defected to another party.
Concerned PDP chieftains claim the continued presence of Umo Eno’s campaign posters within the PDP Secretariat could be a reflection of his statement that he would still control the party even when is no longer a member, a statement which has not gone well with the PDP loyalists.
PDP erstwhile chairman in Akwa Ibom, Aniekan Akpan has been accused of joining the governor to attend APC gatherings, an act which was said to be undermining the PDP in the state.
This has led to the split of the PDP in the state into two camps with a new faction of the party led by Umoren Iquat, who was announced by the National Working Committee of the party after the Aniekan Akpan led Exco was dissolved.
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 executives had been dissolved.
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 of the PDP, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, 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.” He said.
However, a group known as PDP Advocates for Peace and Justice led by a chieftain of PDP, Dr Tom Fredfish had said, “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.”
Efforts to speak with a faction of the party led by Aniekan Akpan were not successful as he was not in the office when journalists visited the party secretariat. His phone lines were also not reachable.
“He is not in the office, he may have traveled because he usually comes to work everyday,” an official of the party told reporters.
Akwa Ibom used to be a stronghold of PDP until the governor’s defection and the emergence of two factions of the PDP. It is uncertain to say where the political pendulum of the state would swing to at the 2027 general elections.
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