By JOE INIODU

The arena spangled with an assortment of colours ? white, red, purple, yellow, grey, green, brown ? either as uniform worn by different groups or flags fluttering as banners coalescing into a constellation of colourful spectacle. The atmosphere was boisterous as music from the speakers intertwined with varying entertainment from various groups. The mood hightened into an electrifyingly ecstatic symphony. The human traffic within and outside the arena bourgeoned to almost inelastic point. The massive crowd underscored the historic nature of the day. As it could be said, if one were to spiritually appraise the event, it could indeed be described as the day the Lord had made.

The day was June 21, 2025. It was the grand reception of His Excellency, Pastor Umo Eno, Ph.D into the fold of the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). Governor Eno had on June 6, 2025, announced that he was "progressively moving to the All Progressives Congress," citing enlightened State interest as the motivation. He had therefore, earlier that day resigned his membership of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) ? the platform that brought him to power and which is almost in smithereens due to internal wranglings. June 21 was therefore set aside for the reception and his official admission into APC, a surer platform from where he could prosecute his second term ambition without any legal ambush.

Information to the public had put the commencement of the event for noon. But by early morning, the arena was thronged with a mammoth crowd. The breadth of Goodluck Jonathan Boulevard which hosts the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium had the two sides of the road crammed with vehicles, leaving people the choice of parking at endless distances and taking long walks to the venue.

So passionate were the people that they didn't mind to walk kilometres to the venue. By 12 noon, the venue was jam-packed to its brim. Time was ticking. At about 1:15 p.m., blaring sirens rent the air, signalling the arrival of the expected dignitaries. At exactly 1:18 p.m., a Coaster bus conveying the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Governor Umo Eno and many other dignitaries rolled into the arena. As they stepped out of the bus, the crowd erupted in ecstacy. The arrival coincided with the time a popular music artiste in the state, Mr Xto, was doing one of his pulsating renditions, "Na You Dem Send." The moment witnessed a blend between a Governor who has endeared himself to his people and a song which long held the appeal of the people. As the governor moved around the arena waving at the people and gyrating subtly to the music, flags fluttered, displaying a rainbow of scenic splendour. The joy of the people knew no bounds.

Then came the speeches. The Chairman of APC in Akwa Ibom State, Obong Stephen Ntukekpo, opened the floodgate with his welcome address. He welcomed the dignitaries, expressing profuse and special gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was represented by his dependable Vice President Kashim Shettima, the Vice President in his own capacity and the President of the Senate, who himself an illustrious son of Akwa Ibom. Ntukekpo thanked and welcomed Governor Eno into the APC fold, noting that the decision to join the ruling party will best serve the interest of the state.

The Deputy National Chairman of APC, South -South, Rt. Hon.(Elder) Victor Geidom, in his remarks described the day as an important date in the history of Nigeria. He said that despite the fact that the region contributes so much to Nigeria, it could not really get its due because it was in the opposition. He said he was happy that four of the states in the region are already in the ruling party and expressed optimism that very soon all the states in the region shall belong to APC. Geidom thanked Governor Eno for the laudable decision to join APC, adding that it would strengthen the party in the region and at the national level.

Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State described the day as the best in the South-South. "Once upon a time, I was an orphan", he said, referring to the period when he was the only APC governor in the South-South. He revealed that he used to ponder over the dissonance between the enormous contributions of the region to the national coffers and the paltry rewards that accrued to states in the South-South, implying that belonging to the ruling party would change the dynamics. Governor Otu used the occasion to endorse President Tinubu for a second term using a voice vote, to which the crowd responded in the affirmative.

The governor of Imo State, His Excellency, Hope Uzodimma in his remarks, said he was delighted to witness such a mammoth crowd. He expressed his joy for Akwa Ibom people for the decision they have taken, adding that they will not regret it. Governor Uzodimma, who is also the Chairman, Progressive Governors Forum, used the occasion to inform the people that, "President Tinubu is addressing all our national challenges and so needs concentration, not distraction". He called for national unity and cohesion, asserting that "they are prerequisites as we march towards the nation's collective goal".

The President of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON who was also a high point of the event, began his remarks with a song. Known for his enigmatic soapbox skills, he said: "I want to speak to the import of today's occasion". He then proceeded with some dramatic syntactic parallelisms: "I want to speak. I want to say", etc. When he launched into the main message, he left the people reeling with many patriotic take aways.

Looking straight at Governor Eno, Akpabio said: "Today is for you, my dear brother Umo Eno, today is for President Tinubu, today is for Akwa Ibom State, today is for Nigeria". He described Umo Eno's change of party as a movement, not a defection. He said the event was Akwa Ibom's unification with Nigeria, recalling that the South-South has always been with the centre. Then he waxed prophetic, saying: "I see you being the first governor to be elected in 2027 and the President getting 99.9 percent of the votes". Akpabio referred to what is happening in the state as "political maturity."

The Senate President, who lauded Vice President Shettima as one of the most intelligent Nigerians alive, also praised the National Chairman of APC, Dr Umar Ganduje, for his frankness and political sagacity. He recalled how Ganduje announced in Calabar that the South-South would produce a Senate President at a time when he was not a national chairman. He lauded his fairness and thanked him for providing strong leadership to the party.

Governor Umo Eno's time to address the gathering was marked with dramatic moments. He was heralded to the podium with a song "Who is your guy" performed by Spyro. The Governor and the people in the crowd gyrated to the song. After the momentous moment, Eno started a worship song, "I am going higher...." to which the crowd joined with enthusiasm. He said he was joining APC as a means of aligning with the centre so that the state can unite the Arise Programme of the State with Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government "to push for a better deal for our people". He described his joining the APC as a progressive action towards enlightened state interest. Governor Eno further stated that he was moving to the centre to have the latitude to support the bold and audacious reforms of President Tinubu, pointing out that even though he was not responsible for the squalor that has afflicted the nation, his commitment towards reversing the drift should be supported.

Eno thanked Akwa Ibom people for standing by him, adding that even though he is now firmly in APC, he will be a governor for all.

Going philosophical and spiritual, Governor Eno said: "We are not afraid of the future or the storms ahead. We are bold and courageous for the one before us is able to take us through the storms." Eno made a passionate plea to the Federal Government to help Akwa Ibom State to realise the dream of Ibom Deep Seaport, noting that the singular action would give adequate justification for the movement that was being celebrated.

The National Chairman of APC, Dr Umar Ganduje, who conducted the official admission of Governor Eno into the APF family, described the mammoth crowd as colourful and jubilant. He added that from the faces of the people in the crowd, it was clear that they were there voluntarily. He thanked the President of the Senate, stating that from the quality of infrastructural facilities like the stadium that he had seen, he could say without any fear of equivocation that Akpabio was a successful governor. Speaking on a lighter note, he said that the stadium where the event held was as beautiful as the wife of the Senate President.

Ganduje, while calling for national continuity, consolidation, and sustainability in governance, announced that the Governor shall be the leader of APC in the state while the Senate President remains a national leader.

President Tinubu, represented by Vice President Shettima, assured Governor Eno of the full support of the Federal Government, assuring that Eno will not regret the decision. He thanked Akwa Ibom people for their pledge to support his Administration.

The colourful event, which has largely been described as a unity rally, seems like a new dawn for Akwa Ibom State.

*Joe Iniodu is a Special Assistant in the Office of the President of the Senate.

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