Pastor Eseme Udi, a former chairmanship aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Esit Eket Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State, has confirmed that he and his supporters have officially joined the All Progressives Congress (APC). The defection was motivated by long-standing issues of neglect and exclusion faced by his community, especially in Ward 9.
In a statement shared with journalists in Uyo by his media consultant, Daniel Edon, Pastor Udi said the decision came after careful reflection on the treatment his people had received over the years. According to him, despite being loyal to the PDP since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule, his ward had gained little to nothing. He described the years under PDP as marked by oppression and marginalization.
Pastor Udi said the switch was not sudden but rather the result of growing frustration within the community. He emphasized that the people of Ward 9 had been waiting for a leader to guide them in a new direction — and he decided to take that step.
He expressed confidence in the APC, citing the party’s achievements at the national level and his belief that the APC would offer his community a fairer deal. Udi claimed he had documented evidence of the APC’s successes, which strengthened his faith in the party’s future potential for development.
The official reception of Pastor Udi and his followers into the APC took place on May 26, 2025. During the event, held at the APC secretariat in Esit Eket, the party’s chapter chairman, Mr. Daniel Assam, welcomed the new members and thanked Senate President Godswill Akpabio for his efforts in building the party. Assam called for unity and discipline within the party, urging all members to put aside personal agendas and work through proper channels.
Also present at the gathering was Dr. Usoro Akpanuso, a former state lawmaker, who described the mass defection as a major political shift. He said it reflected the growing influence of the APC and noted the symbolic weight of an entire ward moving away from PDP, a party once deeply rooted in the state’s political landscape. Dr. Akpanuso described the event as extraordinary and credited the momentum to divine intervention.
The move has sparked conversations about the evolving political climate in Akwa Ibom and raised questions about what this could mean for the upcoming local government elections.
