Vice President Kashim Shettima on Saturday assured Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State that his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) will not be met with regret or humiliation.
Speaking at a grand reception held at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, Shettima, representing President Bola Tinubu delivered a personal message from the president, assuring Eno that he is “home” in the APC.
“No one will question your place here. This party is your home. You will not be humiliated or forsaken,” Shettima said to loud cheers from party faithful.
Describing Tinubu as a “bridge-builder and inveterate democrat,” the Vice President hailed the President’s sacrifices in defending democracy, recalling his years of opposition politics and the struggle to build the APC against the odds.
“Our party isn’t built on vanity metrics or media hype,” Shettima declared. “We are a movement of principles, bound by vision, and committed to rewarding merit.”
Governor Eno, in his address, said his defection was driven by a need to align Akwa Ibom with the APC-led federal government’s “Renewed Hope” agenda and accelerate stalled projects like the Deep Sea Port.
“This is about enlightened state interest. We want to be part of the progressives and support President Tinubu’s bold reforms,” he said.
The event drew top APC figures, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, APC National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, and Imo State Governor and Progressive Governors’ Forum Chair Hope Uzodimma.
Akpabio described the mass turnout not as a defection but a “movement,” noting the South-South’s strategic role in Nigeria’s economy and its need to align politically with the centre.
Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu, also present, called the gathering a historic moment for the region.
“The South-South will now speak with one voice,” he said, declaring the Renewed Hope Agenda fully launched in the zone.
The ceremony concluded with the symbolic handing of the APC flag and broom emblems of unity and progress to Governor Eno, solidifying his formal entry into the ruling party.
