By Solomon OKPO
A simmering leadership crisis is threatening to destabilize the Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as political tension escalates ahead of the anticipated defection of Governor Umo Eno and his loyalists to the party.
What was once a largely dormant contest for ward leadership within the APC has now turned into a full-blown scramble for influence and political positioning. Party stakeholders, sensing a shift in power dynamics, are jostling for space as the governor’s expected entry into the party heightens the stakes.
Previously considered a low-interest position—particularly after the APC’s underwhelming performance in the 2023 general elections—ward leadership is now at the centre of a growing internal power tussle. The renewed interest has not only exposed fault lines within the party’s grassroots structure but has also raised questions about the legality and functionality of ward leadership roles, which some members argue are not enshrined in the APC constitution.
While critics see ward leaders as redundant and potentially disruptive—often duplicating the roles of constitutionally recognized ward executives—others defend their existence, citing their advisory value and capacity to enforce party discipline, particularly when influential members act unilaterally
