The Commissioner for Special Duties and Ibom Deep Seaport, Mr. Ini Ememobong, has resigned from the cabinet of Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno following the governor’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Governor Eno, who formally joined the APC on Friday, had earlier told his cabinet that any appointee unwilling to follow him into the APC should resign, emphasizing loyalty as a key requirement in his government.
“You can’t be in my cabinet and play anti-party. It’s not a threat. It is what it is,” the governor said at a State Executive Council meeting two weeks ago.
In response, Mr. Ememobong publicly announced his resignation in a Facebook post, citing principle and political conviction:
“I have tendered my resignation to the Governor in compliance with his directive… I am unable to join in that sojourn. My decision is borne out of my belief in politics with principles and my long-standing opposition to that political platform.”
Ememobong, who previously also served as Commissioner for Information, said the move does not affect his personal respect for Governor Eno:
“I will continue to have tremendous respect for H.E. Governor Umo Eno, even out of EXCO.”
Meanwhile, Governor Eno described his defection as a move made “from a place of strength” and thanked the PDP for their support during his time in the party.
“This is a defining moment. We should always be open to change, but not to let go of our shared values,” he said during the official defection ceremony in Uyo.
Akwa Ibom has been a PDP stronghold since the return to democracy in 1999. Governor Eno’s switch to the APC marks a significant political shift in the state’s leadership landscape.