CITIZENS COMPASS— Former Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade, has reportedly broken down as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu advised him to withdraw his Senatorial ambition
Ayade was vying for the Cross River North Senatorial seat in the 2027 general elections.
He disclosed this on Monday, in a statement.
The former governor said that he was summoned to Abuja for a high-level national consultation with the Presidency, where the instruction to step down from the race was handed to him.
“From the sequence of events that followed my return, Mr. President wants me to withhold my Senate ambition. I yield to his request even as I pour tears of ill-treatment and agony,” Ayade said.
“I trust that Mr. President may not be aware that the people who turned our churches against Ayade and all of us in APC over the Muslim-Muslim ticket are the same beneficiaries of this instruction,” he said, suggesting that political adversaries may have influenced the decision.
Despite what he described as years of commitment to the party, Ayade lamented that he has remained without any federal appointment for over three years.
Still, he affirmed his continued support for the President, revealing that he is currently funding a free transportation scheme aimed at mobilising grassroots backing for Tinubu’s anticipated re-election bid in 2027.
In a subtle appeal, Ayade urged the President to reconsider the directive, arguing that equity demands a fresh look at representation in his senatorial district.
According to him, his federal constituency has only held the Senate seat for eight years, while his main rival has occupied the position for about two decades.
The development adds a dramatic twist to the unfolding political permutations in Cross River North, with observers closely watching whether the President may revisit the decision in the face of Ayade’s emotional plea.
—GWG
