Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has ordered members of his cabinet and other political appointees to either defect with him to the All Progressives Congress (APC) or resign their appointments immediately.

The governor gave the directive during a State Executive Council meeting on Thursday in Uyo, where he officially declared his decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling APC.

According to sources present at the meeting, Governor Eno expressed no regrets over his political switch, saying his decision was motivated by a desire to align more closely with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration at the federal level.

“Anybody who claims he is not aware of my intention to leave the PDP is still living in the 18th century,” he reportedly said.

The governor, who was elected on the PDP platform, warned that he would not tolerate divided loyalties within his government, stressing that there would be no negotiations with appointees unwilling to move with him.

“Apart from elected officials like House of Assembly members and Local Government Chairmen, I have nothing to negotiate with you,” Eno declared.

He also dismissed the notion that the PDP structure in the state could be used against him by those who might refuse to defect.

“Let me tell you, anybody who believes that when I leave the PDP he will use the party structure to fight me is lying, because I will still control the PDP structure,” he said.

Eno’s defection comes amid a growing wave of political realignments in the build-up to the 2027 general elections.

The move is expected to cause ripples within the PDP in the state, where the party has maintained dominance since 1999.

Governor Eno endorsed for second term as he doubles ward PAs’ salary to N500,000