Erstwhile Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade, has recalled how he couldn’t hold back tears upon learning about a directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to withdraw his ambition for the Cross River North Senate seat in the 2027 general elections.
As contained in a statement released on Monday, Ayade disclosed that he was summoned to Abuja for what he described as a high-level national consultation with the Presidency, where the instruction to step down from the race was handed to him.
Pouring out his mind unfiltered, the former governor said he complied with the President’s request “in tears,” expressing what he termed as a sense of ill-treatment despite his loyalty to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
“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.
He recounted his role in strengthening the APC in the South-South, noting that he was the first governor in the region to defect to the party and helped lay the foundation for its current standing.
Ayade further pointed to his performance during the 2023 presidential election, claiming he delivered nearly 40,000 votes more than the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in support of Tinubu, a feat he described as unprecedented in Cross River State’s political history.
“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.
