Prominent figures within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have strongly criticized Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, and former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, over their public endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
Governor Eno, a serving PDP governor, had pledged support for President Tinubu during the recent flag-off ceremony of a 65-kilometre dual carriageway project in Nsit-Antai, Akwa Ibom State, this coming days after PDP Governors rejected merger. In a bold declaration, he expressed his backing for the president’s re-election bid, stating, “Let me end by assuring our people-loving President that we will stand by him. He deserves to complete his eight years in office… I’m supporting Baba Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term.”
Similarly, Fayose dismissed PDP’s chances in the 2027 general elections, arguing that it is in the interest of national balance for Tinubu, a southern president, to complete his two-term tenure. “Everybody is fighting for their survival,” he added.
Reacting to these endorsements, PDP elder statesman and former Deputy National Vice Chairman, Chief Bode George, described the development as troubling and potentially damaging to party unity.
“I’m extremely concerned about the stance of Governor Eno. As a sitting PDP governor, his comments are unprecedented and could weaken our party’s cohesion as we approach the 2027 elections,” George stated.
He urged Governor Eno to withdraw his endorsement, warning that acting without broader consultation within the party structure sets a dangerous precedent. “This kind of unilateral decision-making undermines the PDP and disrespects our collective history, especially in a state like Akwa Ibom that has been a stronghold of the party,” he added.
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Timothy Osadolor, PDP’s Deputy National Youth Leader, also condemned the endorsements, stressing that neither Eno nor Fayose holds the authority to dictate the party’s direction in 2027.
“Akwa Ibom is solidly PDP. Governor Eno’s support for President Tinubu is a personal opinion and does not reflect the collective will of the PDP or its members in the state,” Osadolor said. On Fayose, he remarked, “No one takes him seriously anymore. He can say whatever he likes, but the party has moved on from his theatrics.”
Meanwhile, Hon. Wole Oke, a PDP member of the House of Representatives, voiced concern over the party’s internal turmoil, lamenting that persistent infighting and controversial endorsements are weakening the PDP at a critical time.
“The PDP is in a precarious situation. With less than two years to the next election, we are still battling internal crises. Endorsements like these only add fuel to the fire,” Oke said.
As the party continues to face internal discord, the calls for unity and strategic recalibration have intensified, with stakeholders warning that failure to realign may cost the PDP dearly in the 2027 electoral contest.
