Although the next general election in Nigeria is still over two years away, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State has named Governor Umo Eno as the party’s sole candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
Governor Eno, who assumed office on May 29, 2023, is just over a year into his administration.
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“After thorough deliberation at the Akwa Ibom State PDP Enlarged State Executive Council Meeting held on 6 January 2025, at the PDP State Secretariat, the party unanimously endorsed Pastor Umo Bassey Eno as its sole gubernatorial candidate for the 2027 governorship election,” the party said in a communique signed by the PDP Chairperson in Akwa Ibom State, Aniekan Akpan.
The spokesperson for the PDP in Akwa Ibom, Edwin Ebiese, shared the communiqué on his Facebook page on Sunday, January 12.
With this move, the PDP appears to have effectively sidelined other potential governorship aspirants, limiting competition and alternatives within the party ahead of the 2027 election.
The PDP cited the governor’s “outstanding performance” thus far as the basis for its decision.
“His exemplary leadership and vision, as encapsulated in the Arise Agenda, have yielded significant dividends of democracy for the people of Akwa Ibom State,” the party said in the communique.
The Arise Agenda is Governor Eno’s plan for Akwa Ibom’s economic development.
On Saturday, Governor Eno visited the PDP state secretariat in Uyo, just hours after dissolving his cabinet.
Akwa Ibom has been a stronghold of the PDP, with the party producing consecutive governors since the return to democratic governance in Nigeria in 1999. Given the weakness of opposition parties, including the All Progressives Congress, Governor Eno is well-positioned to secure a second term in 2027.
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