Why Governor Umo Eno will not face opponents in 2026/27 elections

By Emmanuel Nicholas

Governor Umo Eno is unlikely to face any credible opponents in the 2026/27 elections because both the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are beset by leadership crises that have effectively incapacitated them.

Within the PDP, the Federal High Court in Ibadan on Friday, 30 January 2025, nullified a national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, and barred Kabiru Turaki and others from presenting themselves as national officers of the party, dealing a severe blow to the faction that emerged from that convention.

Justice Uche Agomoh further held that the caretaker committee headed by Mohammed Abdulrahman and Senator Samuel Anyanwu remains the only recognized National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP pending the conduct of a valid national convention.

As a consequence of that judgment, the duly elected PDP executive in Akwa Ibom State, led by Elder Aniekan Akpan, is recognized within the party’s official structure.

Also, on 4 February 2026, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) invited party national leaders to a meeting and acknowledged only the leadership of Mohammed Abdulrahman and Senator Samuel Anyanwu, effectively excluding the Kabiru Turaki faction, which suggests that the faction lacks official recognition.

Although the Turaki faction has filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal, the outcome is uncertain; the dispute could continue to the Supreme Court, making it difficult for the party to establish a legitimate, uncontested leadership in the near term.

Given this turmoil, it is highly likely that the PDP will be unable to field candidates in the forthcoming general election. Elder Aniekan Akpan, as the state PDP executive, is part of Akwa Ibom United (aligned with the All Progressive Congress (APC) and may be likely to endorse Governor Umo Eno for a second term.

In respect to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), whose leadership also remains beset by factional divisions, a consequential legal development has emerged.

The current crisis is the case in court that challenges the legality of ADC. The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has fixed February 16 for the hearing of a constitutional action that seeks the deregistration of the ADC and four other political parties.

The suit, instituted by the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL) and filed as FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2025, names the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Zenith Labour Party, Action Alliance (AA) and Action Peoples Party (APP) as respondents.

The NFFL asks the court to direct the withdrawal of recognition of the cited parties on the ground that they have persistently failed to satisfy the mandatory constitutional and electoral benchmarks required for the continued registration and operation of political parties under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Central to the cause of action is Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), a provision relied upon to compel enforcement of statutory performance standards and to justify the withdrawal of recognition from political parties that do not meet prescribed obligations.

The relief sought by the applicant is, in effect, enforcement of the constitutional and electoral regime governing the registration, conduct and continued existence of political parties in Nigeria.

If the court orders the deregistration of the ADC, it would remove that party as a platform for any candidates who intended to use it in the 2026/27 elections. With these two parties, who were expected to be the main opposition, potentially unable to field candidates,

Governor Umo Eno will not face any credible opponents in the next general election.

Moreover, given his performance across multiple sectors of the economy, which has helped to unify many in Akwa Ibom State and has been favourably noted by some political analysts and empirical studies, Governor Umo Eno is well-positioned for a strong second-term bid.

The combination of weakened opposition structures and a solid record of governance strengthens the likelihood that he will run largely unopposed by any organized, credible political party.

First, the legal and organizational crises within both the PDP and the ADC have substantially weakened the principal opposition forces that might otherwise challenge Governor Umo Eno.

Court rulings, INEC’s recognition decisions, and pending litigation create significant barriers to those parties’ ability to organize and present candidates in the immediate term.

Second, while these developments point to a likely uncontested or weakly contested race for Governor Eno, the situation remains fluid. Appeals and further litigation could alter the legal landscape before nominations close, and INEC’s final determinations will be decisive.

With all the underlined factors, Pastor Umo Eno, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, will serve for eight uninterrupted years. To God be the glory!