The once-dominant People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is facing a growing crisis in Nigeria’s South-South region, as signs point to another major defection—this time from Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno.
Barely a day after the PDP lost two key political figures in Delta State—former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and incumbent Governor Sheriff Oborevwori—to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), speculations are rising that Governor Eno may be next to jump ship.
Speaking during a constituency outreach in Ukanafun Local Government Area, Eno drew a provocative analogy comparing the PDP to a grounded aircraft. “If you were about to board Ibom Airline and it developed a fault, wouldn’t you take the next available plane to your destination?” he asked, suggesting he may be preparing to leave the party he currently represents.
While Eno has yet to formally announce any defection, his increasingly warm stance toward President Bola Tinubu’s administration, combined with his recent remarks, hints at a political transition that could end the PDP’s uninterrupted 26-year rule in Akwa Ibom.
With Edo, Delta, and Cross River already under APC control, PDP now retains only Bayelsa and Rivers states in the South-South. Eno’s departure would not only mark a symbolic collapse of the party’s regional grip but could further weaken its strategy ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Meanwhile, internal discord continues to rock the PDP on multiple fronts. Its 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, is rumored to be exploring a new political vehicle for future ambitions. Ongoing friction between Atiku and former Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike, unresolved leadership issues, and disputes over national positions have created a fragmented party structure unable to present a unified front.
If these issues remain unresolved, analysts say the PDP risks entering the 2027 election cycle as a weakened and divided opposition, vulnerable to further defections and declining public support.
From its founding promise of 60 years in power to its current political instability, the PDP’s decline underscores how quickly influence can fade without cohesion, renewal, or credible leadership.
