The visit of key political, religious and traditional leaders from Akwa Ibom State to President Tinubu last Friday has triggered lively discussions in the state on the next political move of Governor Umo Eno.

Will he or will he not defect to the APC? The 105-member delegation, comprising both PDP and APC members, as well as business and traditional chiefs, was led by both Senator GodswillAkpabio and the governor. It was a culmination of a series of events orchestrated by the governor since he assumed office to bring members of the two parties together under a canopy of harmony and unity. Eno has inherited a politically fractious and disunited state in which the two dominant political parties in the state have been perpetually at war with each other since 2013. But through deft reconciliatory tactics over the last 20 months, he has broken down partisan barriers that created divisions and acrimony along political lines. Akwa Ibom state has not enjoyed so much cordiality and togetherness since 1999, and the spinoff is this lively debate on his political future.

The meeting in the Villa was in two phases. First, President Tinubu met with Senator Akpabio; Governor Eno and former governor Udom Emmanuel for over two hours in the president?s meeting room, next to his office, after which the quartet walked across the hallway into the Executive Council Chamber, where the full delegation was already seated for the formal event. Details of their discussions are still sketchy, but I have spoken to no fewer than 10 persons in and outside Akwa Ibom who should know, and I understand that two major related issues dominated the discussions: reconciliation of Senator Akpabio with Udom Emmnauel and the 2027 re-election of the President.

With the open revolt of some governors and key politicians from the North against the President and his policies, and their open threats to work against his re-election, the president?s strategists are focusing on persuading all the eight opposition governors in the South to either defect to the APC or work for the re-election of the President. The thinking is that if Tinubu wins all the 17 southern states, it would be easier for him to retain Aso Rock.

Governor Eno has publicly pledged to support the re-election of the president, but there?s been enormous pressure on him to join the President?s party.

The thaw in the frosty relationship between Akpabio and Udom Emmanuel is thus part of the broad strategy to swing the state to the governing party in 2027.

But among PDP members in Akwa Ibom, the possibility of the governor defecting is a difficult subject to broach. ?The governor has not told me about it; and I think I?m in a position to know if that was being considered,? said Onofiok Luke, a respected PDP leader who had served as the Speaker of the House of Assembly and member of House of Reps. He added reflectively: ?unless it?s on a need-to-know basis.?

Another PDP chieftain, Chief Ndueso Essien acknowledges the possibility of some people piling pressure on the governor to defect because of his popularity and likability, but the important thing is the governor?s response to the overtures being made to him. ??The governor has not briefed me about it and until he informs me, it remains a rumour??, said Essien, a former minister and member of House of Reps.

On the other hand, APC members are quite enthusiastic at the prospects of Eno joining their party. Chief Otu Ita Toyo is hopeful that the governor would contest his re-election on the platform of APC and would be overwhelmingly re-elected. ??Umo Eno will achieve a lot, especially in completing Ibom Deep sea Port if he aligns fully with the President at the centre,? he told this writer.

But the visit was not all about 2027.

Inside the Council chamber, Governor Eno made three important requests to the President, ?two of which have consequential effects on us as a sub national??. First, he asked for the refund of billions of Naira spent on ??containing potential ecological disasters from the Ecological Funds.? The governor listed the various ecological remediation projects the state had funded over the years, and noted that even his official residence and office were being threatened by gully erosion. Tinubu nodded intermittently. The second request is for the president to support the realization of the Ibom Deep Sea Port project. This is the number one dream of every Akwa Ibom person, and even a primary school pupil would have guessed right that it would feature in his speech. The governor wants the president to direct NPA to execute the Concession Agreement with the Port Development and Management Company (PDMC) because the ??realization of this project will be an economic game-changer for our state, region and the nation??.

The third request came in the form of invitation to the president to visit Akwa Ibom in May and inaugurate some projects, notably the Arise Recreation and Leisure Park which is located on a large parcel of land previously ravaged by gully erosion. Designed as a family-themed leisure park, it consists of a nine-hole golf course; swimming pool; conference hall; children playground; lawn tennis courts and other facilities and 20 tastefully-furnished guest apartments. The adjoining land would be laid out as a residential estate. The concept reminds me of a friend I visited in Texas, US, whose home adjoins a golf course. It was so nice sitting out on his porch and watching rich Americans play golf. I have visited the Arise Park twice, and I?m amazed at the enormity of the project. The UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, Elsie Attafuah, is equally impressed. ??Seeing the Arise Park project firsthand is an eye-opening experience. The level of planning and execution is commendable and I sincerely hope to be part of this great transformation unfolding in Akwa Ibom?, she said as she toured the site with Information Commissioner, AniekanUmanah.

From the Villa, the Akwa Ibom delegation went straight to the Hilton Hotel where a lavish dinner was held for them by the Senate President. Here, Chief Don Etiebet; Arc. Ita Toyo; Senator Helen Esuene and Akpabio himself spoke, with some making tangential references to the ??expected?? political tsunami in the state. While some PDP members sat deadpan and somewhat somber, speaker after speaker commended the governor for bringing Akwa Ibom together in a political harmony and unity. Senator Akpabio urged the governor not to be discouraged by critics from charting his own political course.

The Senate President looked across the room and acknowledged Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien, the owner of Ritman University, Ikot Ekpene. Akpabio, in his characteristic wisecracks, noted that he was the founding Chancellor of the University soon after he left office as governor, and his photograph is still hanging at the Senate Building, but incidentally, it was at the university that Senator Ibok Essien and others met in 2023 to plan for him to lose the 2023 election.

He asked Essien to invite him for the next convocation. There were laughs and applause.

Etiebet described the day as one of his best political moments and praised the governor for orchestrating a new season of love, unity, peace and concord in the state. Every governor in the state before the incumbent has fought Etiebet for one reason or the other despite the fact that he has been a benefactor to them all, one way or the other. Another beautiful moment of the day was the embrace and handshake between Senator (Obong) Bassey Albert (OBA) with the governor. The two were the bitterest contestants in the 2023 governorship election in the state. It reminded me of the ferociousness with which Umana Umana and Udom Emmanuel went for each other to get the top job in 2015.

The following day, the delegates flew back to Uyo in the chartered flight provided by the governor clutching the beautiful gift packs provided by the Senate President. But the question still remains: which way, Pastor Umo Eno in 2027? (THISDAY)

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