- Safiu Kehinde
Akwa-Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has again reaffirmed his intention to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while charging his commissioners and other members of the cabinet to join him or resign.
Umo Eno made this known while addressing the cabinet at a meeting on Thursday.
Though maintaining his love the PDP, the governor cited the ongoing crisis within the party as reason for his planned defection.
He explained that the crisis, especially over the National Secretary’s post, will mar his chance of winning hi re-election bid.
“For me, it’s no more news that I’m moving political party. If you don’t know that by now, I don’t know what else you know.
“Because as a PDP person, I love the PDP. I want to stay in the PDP.
“But clearly I don’t have a roadmap to guarantee that I will be able to have a smooth sail in the election. Not because we won’t win election.
“In the state today with what all of us have done, even if we contest on zero party, we will win this election. There is no doubt about it.
“But we know that at the national level, our party is not coming together. Everyday secretary this and that.
“And so you take your form, they signed it to INEC and then you run election and perhaps won the election.
“And just on technical ground, because the wrong person signed your form, you lose everything.” He said.
The governor further ruled out the chance of staying in the party while claiming that political parties across Nigeria have no distinct ideologies but majorly characterized with defections.
“I’m not going to be stupid to stay doing that. I love my party. And in this state in any case, we are running like there is no party.
“The only agenda we run in our state is the ARISE agenda.
“No party in this clime has any clear ideological differences and I challenge anybody to let’s take that debate.” He said.
While again lauding the President Bola Tinubu-led administration, Umo Eno maintained that the President is not responsible for the challenges in the country.
He further backed his planned defection with claim of avoiding violating the political party rule which is against commending the administration of an opposition party.
“Again, I support this President. I know clearly well that this President did not create this situation we are in. I don’t know how to mince words.
“I cannot be in the PDP today and be supporting a President from another party. It will be a clear violation of the party’s guidelines.
“So, if I’m supporting the President, let me go to where I can say so and state the things he has done. I don’t want to practice anti-party.” Eno said.
He added that his defection does not mean he has anything against the PDP, but he admitted not having the strength to support an opposition leader while still remaining in the party like the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
“I don’t have the kind of strength that Barrister Nyesom Wike has, who will confront anybody. I’m a very simple man by nature.
“That does not mean that we have anything against our party. As a matter of fact, contrary to some insinuations that I want to run both parties, far from it.
“The peace that we have in this state, others don’t have. And so development cannot go there.
“Let this peace, let’s build on it. Let’s build bridges that will help us. Because where there is no peace, people resort to self-help and then projects will be far away from such states.” He said.
The governor then disclosed reports of some members of his cabinet deciding not to follow him.
While acknowledging their freedom of expression and association, Umo Eno urged all members of the cabinets who will not follow him to tender their resignation letter as soon as he officially announced his defection.
“So we want our Commissioners, members of excos, appointees. I’m told that some of you are saying that you will not come. You are free. Absolutely free!
“You are free not to join me, but you won’t be in my State Executive Council.
“So, you better just prepare to resign the day I announce that I am moving. Because you are appointee and your loyalty is fully to me. You can’t be in my cabinet and play anti-party. It is not possible.” The governor said.
Again, he reinstated his respect to the PDP but maintained that the party’s crisis will not make him stay.
“Forever, I will continue to respect the Peoples Democratic Party because without them, I wouldn’t be here. But the signs today doesn’t make me run on that platform.” He said.