Former Cross River State governor, Ben Ayade, has announced his withdrawal from the Cross River North senatorial race, saying he did so after a request from President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement issued on Monday, Ayade said he was invited to Abuja for what he described as a high-level consultation with the presidency, where he was reportedly asked to abandon his senatorial ambition.
According to him, he complied with the request despite feeling disappointed about the decision.
“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,” he said.
Ayade, however, suggested that the president may not be fully aware of the political dynamics in Cross River State. He alleged that some of those benefiting from the decision were previously opposed to the All Progressives Congress (APC), particularly during the 2023 election period.
He also recalled his role in strengthening the APC in the South-South region, stating that he was the first APC governor in the zone and contributed significantly to the party’s performance in the last presidential election.
Despite stepping down, Ayade expressed frustration over what he described as years of political sidelining, claiming he had not received any federal appointment since leaving office.
He pledged continued loyalty to the APC and said he would support the party’s candidates in Cross River State going forward, provided the current directive remains in place.
