Former Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade, has said President Bola Tinubu asked him to withdraw from the senatorial race, a request he said he has accepted despite expressing dissatisfaction over the development.
The former governor stated this in a statement on his Facebook page on Monday said that the directive followed a high-level consultation with the Presidency in Abuja.
“Mr President wants me to withhold my Senate ambition. I yield to his request even as I pour tears of ill treatment and agony,” he said.
The former governor, however, suggested that the President may not have been fully briefed on the political dynamics in Cross River State, particularly regarding those he claimed benefitted from the decision.
“Mr President may not be aware that the beneficiaries of his order are people armed against us with guns and machetes in the collation centres,” he stated.
Ayade recounted his contributions to the All Progressives Congress, noting that he was the first APC governor in the South-South region and played a key role in strengthening the party’s presence in Cross River.
“I worked assiduously for the party and delivered almost 40,000 votes above PDP in the Presidential election, first in the history of our State,” he said.
He also lamented what he described as years of political sidelining, adding that he had not received any appointment despite his support for the administration.
“For over three years, I have been sidelined without appointment,” he said.
Ayade further expressed frustration over being asked to step down in favour of what he described as a recent entrant into the party.
“Yielding ticket to a newest entrant from opposition just under five months is a spiritual murder,” he said.
Despite his grievances, the former governor urged his supporters to remain calm and respect the President’s directive, while also hinting at a possible review of the decision.
“Let us tarry and honour Mr President even as we still appeal for the review of his order,” he said.
He also instructed his supporters not to purchase nomination forms for the Senate race for now, stating that doing so would amount to disobeying the President.
“I suggest that my supporters should not buy the form as I’ll be guilty of going against the order of Mr President,” he added.
Ayade maintained that he remains loyal to the ruling party and pledged continued support for its candidates if the directive stands.
“We would support all our APC candidates… and join hands with our President and Governor to deliver APC at all levels in the State,” he said.
