Shockwaves in PDP as Governor Umo Eno backs Tinubu for 2027! (OPINION)
By Churchill E. Ajusah
On Tuesday, April 15, 2025, Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State; elected under the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) made a bold and politically charged declaration during the flag-off ceremony of the Akwa Ibom segment of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project. Departing from expected neutrality, Gov. Eno openly endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for a second term in 2027, stating:
“He will complete his 8 years and we will stand by him. This is the truth because he cannot start this work and abandon it. Somebody else may not finish it.”
This endorsement, made at an APC-led federal government event, signals a political realignment with implications that reverberate well beyond Akwa Ibom. It reflects not just an individual governor’s preference, but a broader crisis of identity and direction within Nigeria’s main opposition party.
Governor Eno’s statement goes far beyond support for a federal infrastructure project. It is an unmistakable declaration of loyalty to an incumbent president from a rival party, two years ahead of the next general elections. In political parlance, this was not a call for continuity in governance, but a signal of alignment with Tinubu’s second-term bid.
As a serving PDP governor in a PDP-controlled state, Gov. Eno’s actions undermine the established democratic norm of partisan loyalty and active opposition. Nigeria’s multiparty democracy thrives on ideological distinction and party cohesion. The governor’s statement blurs those lines, positioning the PDP as a party unwilling or unable to speak with one voice.
This declaration is a direct affront to the PDP’s national structure. In endorsing a sitting president of the APC, he contradicts the purpose of the PDP as an opposition party aiming to reclaim power in 2027. If left unchecked, this could legitimize disloyalty and further erode party discipline across other states. Furthermore, the party risks appearing as an extension or at best a passive observer of the APC’s federal dominance. For a party that was in power for 16 years and now seeks to return, such lack of cohesion and ideological clarity could fatally damage its credibility as a viable alternative.
Endorsements of this nature sends mixed signals to the PDP base. Grassroots supporters, party stakeholders, and future candidates will be left questioning the party’s direction. If a sitting governor can publicly campaign for the APC, what then becomes of the PDP’s 2027 presidential aspirations?
Governor Eno’s comments are made even more startling when juxtaposed with the resolutions of the PDP Governors’ Forum. During their recent meeting in Ibadan, the Forum reaffirmed its commitment to rebuilding the party, acting as a credible opposition, and taking a firm stand against what could be termed the APC’s mismanagement of the economy, insecurity, and political intolerance.
The Ibadan communique called for unity, discipline, and renewed efforts to reclaim power. Gov. Eno’s public endorsement of Tinubu directly contradicts that communique, making the forum’s resolutions appear hollow. It raises serious questions about the ability of the PDP leadership to enforce collective decisions among its governors.
This is a critical test of the PDP’s political will. If the party hopes to survive the next electoral cycle as a credible national force, it must act decisively.
The PDP must immediately and unequivocally restate its opposition to President Tinubu’s re-election bid and distance itself from Governor Eno’s statement. A formal position paper or communique should be issued to clarify the party’s stance and rein in any potential copycats.
The National Working Committee of PDP should summon Governor Eno to explain his comments. If his actions are found to be in breach of party rules, the party should consider internal disciplinary measures.
It is imperative that the party must urgently overhaul its messaging strategy to reconnect with its base. The narrative should return to drawing strong contrasts with APC governance, offering concrete alternatives, and rallying its members around a shared 2027 objective.
The PDP Governors’ Forum must evolve from a ceremonial caucus to a strategic platform capable of enforcing collective decisions. Governors who act in contradiction to forum’s resolutions should be called out, and the forum must set enforceable standards of loyalty and unity.
Governor Umo Eno’s endorsement of President Bola Tinubu on April 15, 2025, is more than a casual political remark; it is a thunderclap that reveals the fragility of opposition politics in Nigeria of today. As the PDP stares down the barrel of irrelevance ahead of 2027, its response to this moment will be defining. If the party fails to enforce loyalty, unify its messaging, and articulate a clear alternative to the APC, then the road to 2027 may be a walkover for the ruling party with the help of its so-called opposition.
PDP as a party must now decide: will it continue as a fragmented coalition of regional actors, or rise as a disciplined and cohesive political force with a national vision? Governor Eno’s declaration has forced that reckoning.
By Churchill E. Ajusah, Political and Public Affairs Analyst
