Akwa Ibom To Vote Peter Obi, Gov Eno, Over Tinubu’s ‘Yorubanisation Agenda’

A group known as the Peter Obi/Umo Eno Advocates (Personality Politics) has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of pursuing a “Yorubanisation agenda” through his administration’s appointments and distribution of major projects across Nigeria.

The group has therefore viewed to vote out President Tinubu in 2027 in preference for Peter Obi, while it said Governor Uno Eno will be reelected for a second term.

The allegation was contained in a statement signed by Evang. Philip Sunrise, who also accused the President of allegedly disappointing Akwa Ibom Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, over the actualisation of the long-awaited Ibom Deep Seaport.

Sunrise said the development had raised concerns among Akwa Ibomites, arguing that the state deserved greater federal attention in the provision of strategic infrastructure.

According to him, the issue had become particularly significant because of a promise he attributed to the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, during the 2022 campaign in Uyo.

He claimed that Obi had pledged at Unity Park, Udo Udoma Avenue, to complete the Ibom Deep Seaport within two years if elected president.

Sunrise argued that the alleged failure of the Tinubu administration to deliver the project had reinforced what he described as a perception of political marginalisation of the South-South state.

He further alleged that Tinubu’s political relationship with Akwa Ibom had produced two factions within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state — an “Abuja Front” and a “Uyo Front.”

However, available records show that Governor Eno has continued to publicly express support for President Tinubu and has said the President reassured him of federal support for the Ibom Deep Seaport. 

The seaport project itself has also continued to move through various preparatory stages. In April 2026, Eno received a technical feasibility report for the project and said his administration had undertaken feasibility studies, investor documentation and technical assessments. 

In June, the governor disclosed that discussions with potential investors in Paris had renewed interest in the project.

The Akwa Ibom State Government has also listed funding for the construction of the deep seaport in its budget, while Eno has repeatedly maintained that the project requires due process and substantial investment before completion. 

Despite these developments, Sunrise urged Akwa Ibomites to support Peter Obi, whom he described as the candidate with “transparent character and proven integrity,” and argued that Obi remained the candidate capable of delivering the Ibom Deep Seaport.

The statement, however, also acknowledged the support enjoyed by Governor Eno within parts of the state, particularly over his administration’s record in agriculture, rural development, infrastructure, security and education.

Sunrise said some Akwa Ibomites therefore believe Eno deserves another term as governor, while simultaneously calling for support for Obi at the presidential level.

The comments come as the Ibom Deep Seaport remains one of Akwa Ibom’s major development projects, with the state government continuing efforts to attract investors and move the project from feasibility and planning towards implementation.