* Akpabio hails gov’s defection, says Fubara, Diri might also defect

Deji Elumoye in Abuja and Okon Bassey in Uyo

Vice President Kashim Shettima has assured Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State and his supporters who defected with him from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that they won’t regret their decision to be part of the ruling party.

This is just as the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio has insisted that Governor Eno’s defection to the APC would benefit Akwa Ibom State, saying that the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Sim Fubara and Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State might also defect to the APC from the PDP.
Shettima disclosed that President Bola Tinubu, specifically asked him to inform the governor that the APC would be home to him, and that no one would humiliate him or question his place in the party.

Shettima spoke yesterday in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, where he represented the President at the Grand Reception of Governor Eno into the APC held at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.

Addressing the mammoth crowd of APC supporters who thronged the venue of the grand reception, the Vice President said: “I am telling you this, Pastor Umo Eno, because I want you and your co-travellers to know that Mr. President is a bridge-builder, an inveterate democrat, and so, your decision to come home to the APC is one that you will never regret.

“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.”

Eulogising Tinubu, Shettima stated that “long before the drumbeats of democracy returned to Nigeria, he offered his resources to sustain the struggle. When the wind of vindictiveness sought to isolate Lagos when he was Governor, he stood alone and turned isolation into innovation.”

The Vice President further gave the new APC entrants important insights into the workings of the party, saying the governing APC is “not a party of vanity metrics,” which is why it has remained the party to beat 10 years after.

Speaking at the event, Senate President, Akpabio, described the decision of Governor Eno to move to the APC as political maturity for the benefit of Akwa Ibom State.

Akpabio said it was proof that Akwa Ibom State was ready to work with President Tinubu and the APC administration to deliver a renewed hope agenda to Nigerians.

“It was a little bit of a surprise when we (South-south) attempted to go different ways in 2023,” he said.

“Today, Governor Otu is no longer an orphan. Thank you for being here to welcome your brothers, and you will welcome more brothers.

“Governor Sheriff of Delta, thank you for joining the progressives’ family and moving the south-south in the progressives’ direction.
“Governor Uno Eno, after you, who knows? Rivers State will tumble. After Rivers, Bayelsa will join,” he said.

While praising Governor Uno for his decision, the Senate President appealed to President Tinubu to harken to the governor’s request on the Deep Seaport to develop the blue economy of Akwa Ibom State and empower the youths.

“You have placed the unity and progress of Akwa Ibom State above party lines; you have chosen partnership over partisanship. So, to the men and women of Akwa Ibom State who have followed you diligently in this defining moment, our leaders, our thinkers, our patrons, I say to you ‘welcome home to the progressive family.”

On his part, Governor Eno while addressing the gathering, said his purpose for joining the APC was to get the Ibom Deep Seaport running, noting that previous state governors had struggled to get the seaport started.

He said he took a risk to abandon the PDP to join Akpabio in the APC so as to secure the Ibom Deep Seaport, pointing out that the movement was from a position of strength.

The governor stated that he was willing to face the political storm ahead as long as he secures the Ibom Deep Seaport for Akwa Ibom, and reassured the people that he would remain a governor for all despite party affiliations.

While receiving Governor Eno and all his cabinet members and others into the APC, the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, said the movement of  South-south governors into the APC was a signal that President Tinubu’s policies were inclusive and worth aligning with.

He assured the governor that with his movement to the APC, President Tinubu would begin to implement programmes that would solve the environmental problems in the state and region as well as provide employment opportunities for the youths.

“We assure him that our party believes in internal democracy. Our party believes in progressive ideas. Our party believes in discipline. Our party believes in orderly progress. Our party believes in the overall development of democracy.

“So, you are most welcome to our party. We have to acknowledge Mr. President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. People are coming into our party, our political agenda, our Renewed Hope Agenda for the South-South geopolitical zone is working,” he stated.

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