In a major political shake-up, seven members of the House of Representatives from Akwa Ibom State have defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The lawmakers—six from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and one from the Young Progressives Party (YPP)—formally announced their defections during plenary on Thursday, July 3, 2025. Their defection letters, led by the leader of the Akwa Ibom caucus, Hon. Unyime Idem, were read on the House floor by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
The defecting lawmakers include:
Alphonsus Uduak (PDP)
Martin Esin (PDP)
Paul Ekpo (PDP)
Okpolupm Ette (PDP)
Bassey Okon (PDP)
Emmanuel Ukpong (YPP)
Unyime Idem (PDP)
In their separate letters, the lawmakers cited unresolved internal crises within their former parties and pressure from constituents as reasons for their decision. Idem, who also chairs the House Committee on Public Procurement, said his defection was triggered by persistent leadership struggles within the PDP, particularly concerning the position of National Secretary. He invoked Section 68(1)(g) of the Nigerian Constitution to validate his move.
Hon. Martin Esin disclosed that he resigned from the PDP on June 17, 2025, and joined the APC in alignment with his constituents’ desires.
Governor Umo Eno’s Move to APC Influences Defections
The wave of defections appears to be tied to Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno’s recent defection from the PDP to the APC in June 2025. The governor stated his switch was to support President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms.
“Having completed consultations as your servant, I have decided to progressively move to the All Progressives Congress (APC),” Eno declared. “We are not joining the APC from a position of weakness, but from a position of strength.”
Following his defection, Governor Eno instructed his commissioners and appointees to either follow him to the APC or vacate their positions.
Minority Leader Reacts to Mass Defection
Reacting to the development, House Minority Leader Hon. Kingsley Chinda expressed deep concern over the implications of the mass defections. While acknowledging the lawmakers’ right to freedom of association under Section 40 of the Constitution, he called on Speaker Abbas to act in accordance with constitutional provisions by declaring the defectors’ seats vacant.
Chinda warned that unchecked defections threaten the integrity of Nigeria’s democracy and called for strict adherence to constitutional mandates.
