More insights have emerged in the seeming political rift that engulfed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State, leading to the factionalisation of the former ruling party in the state, LEADERSHIP learnt yesterday.
It was gathered that the supremacy battle over who controls the political structure ahead of the crucial 2027 general elections is pitting the incumbent governor Umo Eno of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the centre against his immediate predecessor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, of the PDP – a former ruling party in the state.
Elder Aniekan Akpan, had revealed that the National Working Committee of the PDP, was perhaps infuriated over the State’s PDP leadership’s decision to receive the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, at the airport during his recent visit on the invitation of governor Eno, to commission the newly completed Ika – Azumini road.
Consequently, the NWC ordered the dissolution of the State Working Committee (SWC), and named a 31 – member interim Committee to steer the party in the next three months, a move stoutly resisted by the state Exco, which Akpan argued, was duely elected to last for four years – to lapse in 2028.
Apparently sensing the move to forcefully hijack the party and install the new interim Committee, party sources disclosed to our Correspondent that on the prompting orders of the former governor, security details attached to his residences in Uyo, and his hometown, Awa Iman, in Onna local government area, were demobilised to ensure the installation of the new interim Committee at the Atan Offot, Uyo, party secretariat.
However, to forestall what source described as “surreptitious political coup”, the commissioner of police (CP), Baba Azare, was said to have moved quickly to counter such imposition and illegality which Elder Akpan, argued, was a clear constitutional breach to truncate his tenure.
To extract the truth, the CP, according to security sources, had queried the motive of the officers drafted from the ex – governor’s residences to lay siege to the party’s office to which they confessed they were mandated by the former governor.
It was learnt the officers were thereafter withdrawn from Mr. Emmanuel’s residences for debriefing at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, on the orders of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun.
“The dramatic withdrawal of former governor Emmanuel’s Police Aides was not routine, nor was it a political witch-hunt, but direct fallout of a failed plot to hijack the PDP machinery in the State.
“The drama we saw came from the former governor’s failed attempt to hijack PDP structure in Akwa Ibom state. On October 2, 2025, the Akwa Ibom CP received intelligence that armed operatives had stormed the PDP secretariat at Atan Ofot.
“Their objective, as gathered, was to sack the duly elected state chairman and the entire Exco, and illegally install a Care-taker Committee in total violation of the party’s constitution and in defiance of the national secretary’s earlier declaration.
“Sensing imminent crisis, the commissioner quickly moved in with senior officers.The invading operatives were not acting under lawful Police command. Instead, they were personnel directly attached to Udom Emmanuel, detailed from his Onna and Ewet Housing residences – to wreck havoc at the party secretariat and force the incumbent Exco out.
“Under interrogation, the men admitted the truth, that they had been dispatched from the former governor’s quarters for this unlawful mission and the CP’s response was swift and uncompromising.
“In a rare move, he ordered the immediate recall of all officers attached to Udom Emmanuel back to the force headquarters, pending the resolution of the PDP’s factional crises.
“This is a clear message; the Nigerian Police will not be weaponised for selfish political battles,” a senior Police officer warned.
Also, a senior party official explained that “the implication is heavy,” averring that “by tying his security details to an attempt to destabilise his own party, the former governor now stands accused in the court of public opinion of orchestrating a backdoor coup against the PDP leadership in Akwa Ibom.
“Though the former governor has chosen to maintain silence, the facts speak louder than words,” he said.
“The October 2nd invasion of PDP was not an accident. It was a calculated move that backfired, exposing a desperate bid for control of the party structure in the State, and leaving Udom’s loyal aides disgraced.
“For now, the Police have assured that Udom’s residences and properties remain safe. But one truth is clear; political desperation has consequences, and no one, not even a former governor is above the law,” he explained.
The commissioner for information, Aniekan Umanah, had since denied the governor’s hand in the withdrawal of the security details attached to Emmanuel’s residences, explaining that the governor has no such powers as the assignment and reassignment of Police personnel are domiciled in the IGP and CP.
