Former Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade, has withdrawn his ambition to contest the Cross River North Senatorial seat in the 2027 general elections, following a directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Ayade made the disclosure in a statement issued on Monday, describing the decision as a painful but necessary act of loyalty after a high-level consultation with the Presidency in Abuja.
“I yield to his request even as I pour tears of ill treatment and agony,” Ayade said.
The former governor used the opportunity to highlight his contributions to the All Progressives Congress (APC), particularly in the South-South region.
Ayade noted that he became the first APC governor in the region, laying the foundation for the party’s expansion in Cross River State. He also pointed to his performance during the 2023 presidential election, where he delivered nearly 40,000 votes above the opposition’s tally in the state.
He further recalled his early backing of Tinubu’s presidential ambition, stressing that he was among the first within the APC to advocate for the President’s candidacy, noting that he popularized the popular slogan: “If Tinubu can fix Lagos, Tinubu can fix Nigeria.”
Despite his contributions, Ayade expressed concern over what he described as prolonged political sidelining despite not receiveing any federal appointment in over three years.
However, he maintained his support for the President, revealing that he is currently funding a free transportation initiative as part of grassroots mobilisation ahead of Tinubu’s expected re-election campaign in 2027.
Ayade also appealed to the President to reconsider the directive, arguing that equity and fairness should guide political decisions in Cross River North.
According to him, his federal constituency has only held the senatorial seat for eight years, while his main opponent has occupied positions in the National Assembly for about two decades.
He warned that allowing the same opponent another term would effectively amount to a fourth tenure, raising concerns about political imbalance in the district.