Former Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu personally asked him to step aside from the senatorial race, a directive he said he has chosen to respect despite voicing strong dissatisfaction.
Ayade made this known in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Monday, May 4, explaining that the instruction followed a meeting with top officials at 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.
While accepting the directive, the former governor suggested that the President may not have been fully briefed on developments in Cross River politics, especially regarding those who stand to benefit.
“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 highlighted his contributions to the All Progressives Congress (APC), recalling that he was the party’s first governor in the South-South and played a key role in strengthening its foothold in the state.
“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 political marginalisation since leaving office, noting that he has not been considered for any appointment.
“For over three years, I have been sidelined without appointment,” he said.
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Expressing further frustration, Ayade criticised the decision to favour a recent entrant into the party over him.
“Yielding ticket to a newest entrant from opposition just under five months is a spiritual murder,” he said.
Despite his grievances, he urged his supporters to remain calm and comply with the President’s directive, while leaving room for a possible reconsideration.
“Let us tarry and honour Mr President even as we still appeal for the review of his order,” he said.
He also cautioned against purchasing nomination forms for the Senate race at this stage.
“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 reaffirmed his commitment to the ruling party, pledging to support its candidates across the state if the directive remains unchanged.
“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.