By Suleiman Anyalewechi
The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Dr Umo Eno, has debunked claims suggesting that plans have been concluded to drop his Deputy Governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, in the build up to his re-election bid in 2027.
The Source reports that there have been widespread speculations surrounding the fate of the Deputy Governor with reports claiming that the Governor has concluded plans to jettison the 2023 ticket to reflect the present political realignment in the State.
According to sources, Governor Eno, who, in 2025, defected to the All Progressive Congress APC ,from his original political abode- the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has been under intense pressure to rejig governance structure to accommodate the old APC members
Specifically, the rumour mill has been awash with reports that the Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the leader of the old APC structure in the State is allegedly rooting for one of his core cronies to be picked as Governor Eno’s running mate ahead of the 2027 polls
There are strong indications that Akpabio, a former Governor of the State, prefers the Akwa Ibom State representative on the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission NNDC, Victor Antai, to replace the incumbent Deputy Governor.
The Senate President is said to be working on the theory of having Antai inherit Governor Eno at the end of his second tenure in 2031.
But speaking at the occasion of the 80th birthday celebration of the Deputy Governor’s husband, Etim Eyakenyi on Sunday, Governor Eno dismissed the speculations on the purported plans to tinker with the gubernatorial ticket as false and unfounded.
The Governor emphasized that he has no reason to drop his Deputy, noting that she has remained loyal ever since 2023 when she emerged.
Governor Eno, while denying being under pressure to alter the 2023 ticket, insisted that he has no cause to abandon his Deputy now or in the future.
“Akon Eyakenyi, has not disappointed me, even for one day as my Deputy. And if you make me Governor ten times, she will be my Deputy 10 times”, Eno vowed.
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