A key cabinet member in Akwa Ibom State, Ini Ememobong, has resigned his position following the recent defection of Governor Umo Eno from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ememobong, who served as the Commissioner for Information, Special Duties, and Ibom Deep Sea Port, formally announced his resignation on Friday, June 6, 2025, through a letter addressed to Governor Eno.
His decision comes just two weeks after Governor Eno instructed all political appointees in the state to either follow him to the APC or resign from their positions.
“You have directed that any appointee who is unwilling to accompany you to switch from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress should resign,” Ememobong stated in the letter. “Ipso facto, based on my personal conviction, I hereby most respectfully tender my resignation as Honourable Commissioner for Special Duties and Ibom Deep Sea Port and a member of the State Executive Council.”
Ememobong’s resignation marks a significant development in the state’s political landscape as more ripples follow the governor’s dramatic exit from the PDP—a party that has historically dominated Akwa Ibom politics.
Governor Eno’s defection came shortly after his Delta State counterpart, Sheriff Oborevwori, also left the PDP for the APC. The moves are widely believed to be strategic political repositioning ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The public first got wind of Eno’s likely defection in April when he openly declared support for President Bola Tinubu’s second-term ambition at the flag-off ceremony of a major highway project in Nsit-Antai Local Government Area.
Weeks later, the governor issued an internal directive to his cabinet and aides, asking those unwilling to join him in the APC to resign. Ememobong is one of the first high-profile officials to respond publicly to that directive.
Sources close to the government indicate that other resignations may soon follow as the realignment continues within the state’s political structure.
Ememobong, a long-time PDP loyalist, is known for his strategic role in media, communication, and special projects within the state government. His resignation is seen as a bold statement of principle in an increasingly polarized political environment.
Political analysts believe that this move could inspire other PDP loyalists in Akwa Ibom to either stand their ground or reconsider their political affiliations, especially as the 2027 elections loom large on the horizon.
Governor Eno, who was elected in March 2023 and sworn in on May 29 of the same year, has not made a formal statement regarding Ememobong’s resignation. However, he recently received a warm welcome from APC leaders who declared the party’s full support for his leadership.
As the political temperature rises in Akwa Ibom, many eyes remain on the governor’s next steps and the potential reshuffling of his executive cabinet in response to growing dissent among his appointees.
