President Bola Tinubu on Saturday officially received Gov. Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom into the All Progressives Congress, and promised more support to the state government.
Speaking at a grand reception in honour of Eno in Uyo, Tinubu said that the APC would provide the needed support for the governor to deliver democracy dividends to the Akwa Ibom people.
Represented by the Vice President, Sen. Kashim Shettima, Tinubu told Akwa Ibom people that the governor’s decision to join the APC would be of immense benefit to the state.
“In APC, we build bridges, not walls. We mend fences, not destroy them. Our president is a bridge builder; your decision to join the APC is one you can never regret.
“Be assured that you won’t be humiliated or forsaken, we are your brothers, we shall rise together. We are not an assemblage of politicians, we are a family.
“We will stand by you, as we stood by Godswill Akpabio, who went through fire because of our party. We are all with you, we shall succeed together,” he said.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said that the reception in honour of Eno was a reunification of the South-South states to the centre.
Akpabio said that Eno’s defection to APC was not just a defection but a movement to the progressive family, saying, “This move will bring more dividends of democracy to the state.
“What we have here today is not just a political movement, but political maturity. Eno has placed the peace and development of Akwa Ibom above party lines.
“We say welcome to the progressive family. We are convinced that you will add value and not only numbers to the family. We shall move from celebrations to collaborations.
“I see things turning around for good in Akwa Ibom, you are a man of your word, there is nothing anybody can do to you,” Akpabio said.
Earlier, Eno said that his move to the APC was to align with the centre and support Tinubu’s economic reform initiatives.
He said that the Ibom Deep Seaport project was one of his reasons for joining APC, and urged the president to support the state in realising the project.
“We are not afraid to join APC, we know that with our new party, we will realise our Ibom Deep Seaport project, this is our plea.
“Akwa Ibom people look up to the president, we are hopeful that this movement will bring blessings to us,” Eno said.
He used the occasion to assure the president of the Akwa Ibom people’s support to deliver democracy dividends to the nation and earn a second term in office.
Presenting the APC flag to Eno, the National Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, described the governor as “wise and foresighted.”
Ganduje urged Eno to remain focused and committed towards implementing people-oriented programmes in the state.
On June 6, Eno who was elected governor on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, announced his defection to the ruling APC.
