Against widespread speculation that he has abandoned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Nduese Essien, former Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development said that he has not defected to any party.
Essien, who stated this in a press conference with journalists in Uyo on Tuesday said the rumours of his defection emanated from the event he attended where the governor, Pastor Umo Eno formally defected to APC, stressing that he attended in solidarity with the governor as an elder statesman and indigene of Akwa Ibom State.
Putting the records straight, he opined, “Let me state without ambiguity, I have not defected from any party to another. My attendance at the event was not a declaration of political affiliation but a demonstration of support for the governor, who has shown a rare level of maturity and inclusiveness in governance”.
“Since my decision not to contest for any elective office at the age of 70 in 2014, I have chosen to function purely as an elder statesman – offering advice, promoting peace, and standing for what is just and equitable in our state and country.”
Essien, who was also former Chairman of the South-South Parliamentary Caucus of the National Assembly maintained that Governor Umo Eno’s defection is his personal political decision, backed by his constitutional right and informed by what he must have considered the long-term interests of Akwa Ibom State.
He added, “It is not my place to question his right to reposition himself politically. The most cogent reason for his defection is the lingering uncertainty over the future of the PDP in a self-inflicted debacle through years of impunity and lack of internal democracy in the party.
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“Seeing the unending nature of the controversy, the Governor has taken the right decision to secure his next election in a party platform that is relatively stable, for now at the National level. Joining the APC naturally takes him to work with the Government at the centre with envisaged ancillary benefits. It is my wish that his hopes be fulfilled in this regard”.
He further highlighted, “Let me also highlight that even before his defection, Pastor Umo Eno had shown an admirable level of maturity in navigating party lines. He supported the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC for a second term, despite being a PDP governor. These actions, while controversial to some, were calculated to ensure peace, stability, and strategic alignment for the benefit of Akwa Ibom State.
He however lamented, “Sadly, such magnanimity has not been reciprocated by the Senate President or his political machinery. Appointments, empowerment programmes, and political opportunities have remained exclusive to APC loyalists, leaving out PDP members and even those who have chosen neutrality for the sake of peace. This lack of inclusion has continued despite the governor’s overt gestures of goodwill and cooperation.
“In contrast, Governor Umo Eno has empowered citizens across party lines, ensured that appointments reflect the state’s diversity, and resisted the temptation to weaponise government against perceived opponents. That is commendable.
The former Minister advised the governor not to exclude or sideline those who refuse to defect with him stressing that such action could erode that legacy of fairness and compromise.
He commended the governor for his support for Senator Akpabio noting that the position as Senate President and no. 3 man, is most commendable. “It is not often that this position comes to any state for a long while. It has taken 40 years for it to come back to the South-South”.
“Teaming up with the Senate President in his party will generate respect and strengthen his position in the APC and Government,” he emphasized.
He maintained that as an elder statesman, his priority remains the unity, peace, and development of Akwa Ibom State, insisting that he will continue to lend his voice and wisdom to ensure that political differences do not tear his people apart but rather coexist with dignity, maturity, and mutual respect.
