The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the dissolution of its executives in Akwa Ibom State was necessary to safeguard the party from what it described as “creeping influence” of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, explained that the decision followed concerns that the state leadership of the PDP had been compromised after Governor Umo Eno defected from the party to the APC earlier this year.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the PDP announced the appointment of a caretaker committee headed by Igwa Umoren, with former publicity secretary Borono Bassey serving as secretary.
The new team is expected to manage the party’s affairs and ensure proper alignment with national directives.
Speaking on a live interview programme, on Channels Television, Ologunagba accused the dissolved executives of working in the interest of Governor Eno and the APC.
“In Akwa Ibom State, the governor has left. At both the national working committee and party level, there seemed to be no distinction between the state executives and their alignment with the APC,” Ologunagba alleged.
He quoted Section 10, Sub-section 6 of the PDP constitution, which prohibits members from associating with other political parties in ways that undermine the PDP or its elected governments.
According to him, the governor openly declared that he would oversee both the PDP and the APC in the state, a position he said was not only unacceptable but also a direct threat to the survival of the party.
For over two decades, the PDP had maintained dominance in Akwa Ibom politics.
However, the June defection of Governor Eno to the APC marked a turning point, as it was the second such move in the South-South region within two months.
Earlier, Delta State governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, had also switched allegiance to the ruling party.
The PDP said the dissolution of its Akwa Ibom executive committee was part of wider measures to “restore order, reassert control and prevent further erosion” of its political base in the state.