Historic rally like Akwa Ibom becomes APC, by Joe Iniodu

The arena exchanged with an assortment of colors – white, red, purple, yellow, gray, green, brown – both as a uniform worn by different groups or flags that flutter while the banners have joined a constellation of colorful shows. The atmosphere was rowdy as music of the speakers intertwined with entertainment variable by various groups. The mood went out into an electrifying symphony. Human traffic inside and outside the Arena has been brought to an almost anelastic point. The huge crowd underlined the historical nature of the day. As could be said, if the event were to be evaluated spiritually, it could really be described as the day the Lord had done.

The day was June 21 2025 Governor Eno had had on June 6, 2025, he announced to “progressively move to the Congress to Progressives”, citing the stately enlightened interest as a motivation. Therefore, he had therefore resigned from his belonging to the People Democratic Party (PDP), the platform that led him to power and which is almost in Smithereens due to internal Wrangling. On June 21 he was therefore put aside for the reception and his official admission to APC, a more severe platform from where he could pursue his second -term ambition without any legal ambush.

The information to the public had put the beginning of the event for South. But early in the morning, the arena was crowded with a gigantic crowd. The amplitude of Goodluck Jonathan Boulevard that hosts the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium had the two sides of the road full of vehicles, leaving people the choice of parking at infinite distances and taking long walks at the headquarters.

The people who didn’t care about walking kilometers towards the headquarters were so passionate. At 12, the place was chock full until its edge. Time was ticked. Around 1:15 pm, overwhelming sirens rent the air, reporting the arrival of the planned dignitaries. Exactly at 1:18 pm, a bus to underbicchiers who broadcast the vice -president, Senator Kashim Shettimo, the president of the Senate Godswill Akpabio, the human governor Eno and many other dignitaries were launched in the arena. As they left the bus, the crowd broke out in ecstasy. The arrival coincided with the time that a popular musical artist in the state, Mr. Xto, was making one of his buttons, “Na You Dem Send”. The moment witnessed a mixture between a governor who fascinated himself to his people and a song that long covered the charm of the people. While the governor moved in the arena, shaking the people and spinning thinly to music, the flags floated, showing a rainbow of panoramic splendor. The joy of people knew no limits.

Then the speeches came. The president of the APC in the state of Akwa Ibom, Obong Stephen Ntukekpo, opened the flodgate with his welcome address. He welcomed the dignitaries, expressing abundant and particular gratitude for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was represented by his reliable vice -president Kashim Shettimo, vice -president in his own role and by the President of the Senate, that he himself an illustrious son of Akwa Ibom. NUKEKPO thanked and welcomed the Governor Eno in the fold of the APC, noting that the decision to join the party to power will best serve the interest of the state.

The national vice president of APC, South -Sud, Rt. Hon. (Elder) Victor Geidom, in his observations he described the day as an important date in the history of Nigeria. He said that despite the fact that the Region contributes so much to Nigeria, it could not really have the due because it was in opposition. He said he was happy that four of the states in the region are already in the party in power and expressed optimism that all the states of the region will belong to the APC very soon. GEIDOM thanked the Governor Eno for the commendable decision to join APC, adding that he would strengthen the party in the region and national level.

Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State described the day as the best in South-South. “Once upon a time there was an orphan,” he said, referring to the period in which he was the only governor of the APC in South-south. He revealed that he used to reflect on the dissonance between the enormous contributions of the region to the national coffers and the first rewards that have accumulated in the States in South-South, which implies that belonging to the party in power would change the dynamics. Governor Otu used the opportunity to support President Tinubu for a second term using a voice vote, to which the crowd replied affirmative.

The governor of the state of imo, his excellence, Hope Uzodimma in his observations, said he was happy to attend a crowd so mammoth. He expressed his joy for the people of Akwa Ibom for the decision they made, adding that they will not regret it. Governor Uzodimma, who is also the President, Progressive Governors Forum, used the opportunity to inform people that “President Tinubu is facing all our national challenges and therefore needs concentration, not distraction”. He asked for national unity and cohesion, affirming that “they are prerequisites while we mark towards the collective goal of the nation”.

The President of the Senate and President of the National Assembly, the distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, Gcon, who was also a higher point of the event, started his observations with a song. Known for his enigmatic Soapbox skills, he said: “I want to speak to the import of today’s opportunities”. He then proceeded with some dramatic syntactic parallels: “I want to speak. I mean”, etc. When he launched in the main message, he left the people who hurry up to many patrols.

Looking straight to the Governor Eno, Akpabio said: “Today it is for you, my dear brother Umbo Eno, today is for President Tinubu, today is for the state of Akwa Ibom, today it is for Nigeria”. He described Umbo’s party change as a movement, not a defection. He said the event was the unification of Akwa Ibom with Nigeria, remembering that the South-South has always been with the center. Then he made the ceretic, saying: “I see that you are the first governor to be elected in 2027 and the president obtained 99.9 percent of the votes”. Akpabio referred to what is happening in the state as “political maturity”.

The President of the Senate, who praised the Vice -President Shettimo as one of the most intelligent Nigerians alive, also praised the national president of the APC, dr. Umar Ganduje, for his frankness and political sagacity. He recalled how Ganduje announced to Calabar that the South-South would have produced a president of the Senate at a time when he was not a national president. He praised his equity and thanked him for having provided strong leadership to the party.

The time of the human governor Eno to face the gathering was marked with dramatic moments. He was announced on the podium with a song “Who is your guy” performed by Spyro. The governor and the people of the crowd shot the song. After the important moment, Eno started a cult song, “I’m going higher …”. To which the crowd joined the enthusiasm. He said he was joining the APC as a means of aligning himself with the center so that the state can combine the Arise of the State program with renewed agenda of the hope of the federal government “to push for a better agreement for our people”. He described his joining the APC as a progressive action towards the invalidated state interest. The Governor Eno also declared that he was moving to the center to have the latitude to support the bold and bold reforms of President Tinubu, underlining that even if he was not responsible for the squalor who afflicted the nation, his commitment to reverse the drift should be supported.

Eno thanked the people of Akwa Ibom for staying next to him, adding that even if he is now firmly in APC, he will be a governor for everyone.

Going philosophical and spiritual, Governor Eno said: “We are not afraid of the future or storms to come. We are bold and courageous for what precedes us is able to accompany us through storms”. Eno made a passionate appeal for the Federal Government to help Akwa Ibom are to realize the dream of Ibom Deep Seaport, observing that singular action would give adequate justification for the movement that was celebrated.

The national president of the APC, dr. Umar Ganduje, who conducted the official admission of the ENGLE GOVERNATOR IN THE APF family, described the gigantic crowd as colorful and exultant. He added that from the faces of the people among the crowd, it was clear that they were voluntarily there. He thanked the president of the Senate, stating that from the quality of the infrastructure structures such as the stadium he had seen, he could say without any fear of misunderstanding that Akpabio was a successful governor. Speaking with a lighter note, he said that the stadium in which the event was held was as beautiful as the wife of the President of the Senate.

Ganduje, while asking national continuity, consolidation and sustainability in governance, announced that the governor will be the leader of the APC in the state while the president of the Senate remains a national leader.

The president Tinubu, represented by the Vice -President Shettimo, assured the Governor Eno of full support of the federal government, ensuring that Eno does not regret the decision. He thanked the people of Akwa Ibom for their commitment to support his administration.

The colorful event, which has been largely described as a rally unity, looks like a new dawn for the state of Akwa Ibom.

*Joe Iniodu is a special assistant in the office of the President of the Senate.