By Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka in Abuja
The 39th anniversary of Akwa Ibom State has brought into sharper focus an emerging political alignment in the state, with Senate President Godswill Akpabio openly canvassing support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Umo Eno ahead of the 2027 elections.
Akpabio’s message is important because it combines three issues that are likely to dominate political discussions in the state and the wider South-South: the performance of the federal government, the record of the state administration and the question of regional political cooperation.
The 2027 dimension
Akpabio did not present the anniversary simply as a celebration of statehood. His call for support for Tinubu and Eno effectively brought the 2027 election into the anniversary discourse.
He argued that the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms should be sustained, describing the Renewed Hope agenda as necessary for long-term economic stabilisation and development.
That is the governing side of the argument. The other side is that economic reforms inevitably generate competing assessments among citizens, particularly where short-term costs are concerned. Consequently, whether the electorate accepts the argument for continuity will depend on how voters assess economic conditions, development outcomes and their own experiences before the election.
The Eno factor
Governor Eno’s position is particularly noteworthy because his political journey has changed the configuration of Akwa Ibom politics.
Elected governor under the PDP in 2023, Eno subsequently moved into the APC in 2025. His administration has since emphasised cooperation with the federal government, while continuing to promote the ARISE development agenda.
Akpabio’s endorsement therefore comes against the background of an already developing federal-state political alignment rather than an endorsement of an opposition governor, as suggested in some versions of the report.
Beyond party politics
Another important element of Akpabio’s remarks was his call for stronger cooperation between Akwa Ibom and Cross River.
His statement that the two states share “one people, one history, and one future” frames regional cooperation as an economic and cultural issue rather than merely an electoral arrangement.
If translated into practical policy, closer inter-state cooperation could touch areas such as tourism, transportation, trade, investment and infrastructure.
Development as political capital
The anniversary also highlighted the way development is increasingly being presented as political capital.
Governor Eno’s own anniversary address focused on moving Akwa Ibom from infrastructure to industrialisation, agriculture to agro-industrialisation, skills to enterprise and enterprise to jobs.
The state has also tied its 39th anniversary celebrations to the commissioning of 39 projects across sectors including infrastructure, healthcare, education and tourism.
These developments provide the substance behind the political argument for continuity. But they also provide the basis on which citizens, journalists and political opponents can scrutinise the administration’s record.
The larger South-South calculation
Akpabio’s remarks also point to the importance of the South-South in the 2027 political conversation. He expressed confidence that Tinubu would receive strong support from the region.
That is a political assertion, not an established electoral outcome. The actual strength of support will only become clearer as political campaigns develop and voters make their choices.
For now, what the Akwa Ibom anniversary has revealed is an effort to connect state-level development with federal political continuity. Whether that strategy produces the electoral results its proponents anticipate remains a matter for the electorate and the 2027 electoral process.
