Seven members of the House of Representatives from Akwa Ibom State have officially defected to the APC, their letters of withdrawal read during Thursday’s plenary session by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas. The defectors include six from the PDP, Unyime Idem, Esin Etim, Ekpo Asuquo, Uduak Odudoh, Okpolum Etteh, and Okon Bassey, and Emmanuel Ukpong‑Udo, originally elected under the YPP.
The lawmakers cited deep divisions within their former parties as the central reason for their defection, stating the fractured PDP structure made it impossible to effectively serve their constituents  . Their exit follows that of Governor Umo Eno and numerous state legislators who moved to the APC in recent weeks, marking a significant shift in the political landscape of Akwa Ibom ahead of the 2027 elections.
