Ben Ayade has cried foul over alleged Bola Tinubu directive to quit senate race.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that Former Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, has expressed feelings of betrayal following a directive from President Bola Tinubu asking him to step down from his bid for the Cross River North Senate seat.
In a statement shared on his official Facebook page, Ayade claimed that those who stand to benefit from the president’s decision are the same political opponents who, during the 2023 elections, allegedly turned religious sentiments against him by accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC) of pursuing an Islamisation agenda.
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“To be asked to yield the ticket to the same persons that called us Muslims and brandished guns and machetes at collation centres against us is most traumatising,” he stated.
Ayade highlighted his contributions to the growth of the APC in the South-South region, noting that he was the first governor from the zone elected on the party’s platform. He added that he delivered nearly 40,000 votes above the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Tinubu in Cross River during the 2023 presidential election.
He further recalled supporting the party financially, including donating vehicles and motorbikes for the APC national convention, as well as launching a free transport initiative to bolster support for the president ahead of the 2027 elections.
Reaffirming his loyalty, Ayade said he was among the earliest APC governors to endorse Tinubu’s 2023 presidential ambition and credited himself with coining the slogan, “If Tinubu can fix Lagos, Tinubu can fix Nigeria.”
Reflecting on his political history, the former governor noted that he had previously stepped down from both Senate and governorship races in 2007 and 2015, emphasizing his belief in destiny and restraint.
Despite his grievances, Ayade pledged continued support for all APC candidates, including President Tinubu and Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu, urging his supporters to remain calm and hopeful.
“Our collective heartbreak is well documented in high heavens and those who influenced the president to stop me shall one day be faced with their own karma,” he added.
Ayade, a former senator representing Cross River North, also served two terms as governor of Cross River State.
