The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dissolved its executives in Akwa Ibom State, citing concerns over their allegiance to the party. Debo Ologunagba, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, explained the decision on Channels Television’s “Politics Today” program. He stated that the party’s executives in Akwa Ibom State seemed to be under the control of the governor, who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to Ologunagba, the PDP’s constitution prohibits members from aligning with other parties or groups to undermine the party. He noted that the governor’s defection to the APC had created a situation where the state’s PDP executives were no longer independent. The governor, Pastor Umo Eno, had explicitly stated that he would remain in charge of the PDP in the state, despite his defection to the APC.
Akwa Ibom State has been a PDP stronghold since the return of civil rule in 1999. However, the party’s grip on the state began to slip following Governor Eno’s defection to the APC on June 6. He became the second PDP governor in the South-South region to join the APC in less than two months, after Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State.
The dissolution of the PDP’s executives in Akwa Ibom State comes four months after the governor’s defection. The party’s decision is seen as an attempt to reassert its control over the state and prevent further erosion of its support base. The move is likely to have significant implications for the political landscape in Akwa Ibom State, particularly in the lead-up to future elections. With the PDP seeking to regain its footing in the state, the dissolution of its executives marks a new chapter in the party’s efforts to reestablish its dominance in Akwa Ibom State.
