By Solomon OKPO
Former Minister of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, Chief Nduese Essien, has clarified that he remained non-partisan despite attending Governor Umo Eno’s defection ceremony from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking to newsmen in Uyo, Essien clarified that his presence at the governor’s defection event was not a political endorsement, but a gesture of solidarity.
“I have not defected from any political party to another. My attendance was in support of the governor as an elder statesman and concerned indigene, not as a partisan participant, ” he said.
Essien emphasised his commitment to non-partisan service since retiring from elective politics in 2014.
He raised concerns about the governor allegedly pressuring lawmakers and local government chairmen to follow him to the APC.
”These elected officials hold independent mandates and should not be coerced. True political maturity respects the freedom of choice,” he said.
Essien noted that the governor’s decision to defect was likely strategic, given the PDP’s internal crises and the APC’s perceived stability.
According to him, the PDP has suffered from years of impunity and a lack of internal democracy. In such a context, the governor’s decision to defect is strategic and perhaps necessary to safeguard his political future.
He emphasised the importance of inclusive governance, criticising the exclusion of non-APC stakeholders from federal benefits and empowerment programmes.
Essien urged respect for divergent views, warning against factionalism that may fracture the state’s fragile political harmony.
On the governor’s leadership style, Essien praised Eno’s previous efforts to build political bridges, highlighting his support for Senate President Godswill Akpabio and President Bola Tinubu even before defecting from the PDP.
According to Essien, these actions were pragmatic attempts to foster peace and draw federal attention to Akwa Ibom State.
Nonetheless, he criticised what he termed the “non-reciprocal posture” of the Senate President’s political structure, pointing to the exclusion of neutral or non-APC actors from federal benefits and empowerment programmes.
“Despite the governor’s magnanimity, many non-APC stakeholders remain sidelined,” he observed.
He commended the governor’s strides in inclusive state-level appointments and his refusal to weaponise government institutions.
Essien reaffirmed his commitment to unity, peace, and development in Akwa Ibom State, vowing to continue playing a non-partisan role in guiding the political landscape.
