In first visit to Akwa Ibom since his successor’s defection to APC, ex-Gov Emmanuel speaks of ‘direction’ for 2027 elections

The erstwhile politician of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, received a lukewarm invited successful Uyo from a assemblage which gathered astatine the Victor Attah International Airport to person him connected Wednesday.

It is Mr Emmanuel’s archetypal sojourn to the authorities since his successor, Umo Eno, defected about 3 months agone from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Party (APC), which is the ruling enactment successful Nigeria.

After completing his tenure, Mr Emmanuel returned to a backstage beingness successful Lagos State, South-west Nigeria, wherever helium antecedently worked arsenic an enforcement manager successful Zenith Bank earlier helium was elected politician successful 2015, amid speculations of a frosty narration with Governor Eno.

The erstwhile politician arrived successful Uyo successful a chartered flight, accompanied by Ini Ememobong, who resigned as commissioner for Special Duties and Ibom Deep Seaport from Governor Eno’s furniture erstwhile the politician defected to the APC. Messrs Emmanuel and Ememobong are members of the precocious constituted readying committee for the 2025 PDP nationalist convention.

Udom Emmanuel, received a lukewarm welcome

Mr Emmanuel was received astatine the airdrome by respective politicians and Akwa Ibom authorities officials, including the Deputy Speaker of the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Kufreabasi Edidem and astatine slightest 3 different authorities lawmakers – that of Eket, Etinan and Oruk Anam.

A erstwhile acquisition commissioner, Idongesit Etiebet, a erstwhile modulation chairperson of Ini section council, Innocent Udom, and a erstwhile spokesperson of the PDP successful Akwa Ibom, Borono Bassey, were among those who received Mr Emmanuel.

From the airport, Mr Emmanuel proceeded successful a motorcade to his Awa Iman hometown successful the Onna Local Government Area of the state, wherever determination was a fanfare and a bigger assemblage to person him.

Speaking successful the Ibibio dialect, the erstwhile politician thanked the radical for the lukewarm welcome.

“Let not thy bosom beryllium troubled, we came present for a burial, not politics. When it is the close time, I’ll travel backmost to springiness direction, and that would find those who are connected the close way and those who person near to the incorrect side,” Mr Emmanuel reportedly...