President Bola Tinubu on Saturday officially received Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom into the All Progressives Congress (APC) and promised more support to the government.

At a grand reception in honour of Mr Eno in Uyo, Mr Tinubu said the APC would provide the necessary support for the governor to deliver democracy dividends to the people of Akwa Ibom.

Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Mr Tinubu told Akwa Ibom people that the governor’s decision to join APC would be of immense benefit to the state.

“In APC, we build bridges and not walls. We mend fences, not destroy them. Our president is a bridge builder; your decision to join APC is one you can never regret.

“Be assured that you won’t be humiliated or forsaken; we are your brothers, we shall rise together. We are not an assemblage of politicians; we are a family.

“We will stand by you, as we stood by Godswill Akpabio, who went through fire because of our party. We are all with you; we shall succeed together,” he said.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the reception in honour of Mr Eno was a reunification of the South-South states to the centre.

Mr Akpabio said Mr Eno’s defection to APC was not just a defection but a movement to the progressive family, saying, “This move will bring more dividends of democracy to the state.

“I see things turning around for good in Akwa Ibom; you are a man of your word; there is nothing anybody can do to you,” Mr Akpabio said.

Earlier, Mr Eno said his move to the APC was to align with the centre and support Mr Tinubu’s economic reform initiatives.

He said the Ibom Deep Seaport project was one of the reasons he joined the APC. He urged the president to support the state in realising the project.

“We are not afraid to join APC; we know that with our new party, we will realise our Ibom Deep Seaport project; this is our plea.

“Akwa Ibom people look up to the president; we are hopeful that this movement will bring blessings to us,” Mr Eno said.

Presenting the APC flag to Mr Eno, the national chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, described the governor as “wise and foresighted.”

Mr Ganduje urged Mr Eno to remain focused and committed to implementing people-oriented programmes.

On June 6, Mr Eno, who was elected governor on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, announced his defection to the ruling APC.

(NAN)