Quest To Make Nigeria Better, Reason I Dumped PDP – Ayade
3 min read
While Other Govs Watch
by Our Correspondent
CALABAR: The Cross River State Governor, Sir Ben Ayade Thursday, May 20th dumped the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC), against all political inklings.
Ayade who formally declared for the ruling APC at the Cross River State Executive Council Chamber, Governor’s Office in Calabar after a two-hour meeting with seven governors from the ruling Party, led by the its interim Chairman and Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, added that he was joining the APC based on the character attributes of President Muhammadu Buhari and the realisation that Cross River, which has been emasculated economically following the ceding of its oil wells, needed to be in sync with the party at the center, as the main reasons for moving.
The governor said; “Having seen and known the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and his commitment to this country, his nationalistic disposition and all the efforts he has made to bring Nigeria to where we are today, it is obvious that at this point we needed to join hands with him to build a Nigeria that we can be proud of .
“We need all governors to recognize that it is not party that matters. It is character, it is honour, it is commitment to the vision of this great nation. We all need to as a team work ahead of the president by working towards building a prosperous country that the succession worries of 2023 will come without the fears and the worries the International Community has for us.
“I believe that if everyone of us as governors join hands with Mr President, I think we can sit on the same dining table and fashion out a way to govern this country.”
Reacting to the development, a happy Buni told newsmen that him and his team were in the State to formally welcome Governor Ayade to the APC.
“I am here on behalf of the APC family to welcome His Excellency the Executive Governor of Cross River State formally to the APC. As from today he is the Leader of the party in the State.”
Other APC governors present during the event were; Solomon Lalong of Plateau State, Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and his Jigawa state counterpart, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar.
Minister present was the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva.
Others at the meeting were the State Deputy governor, Prof Ivara Esu, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Eteng Williams Jones and members of the State House of Assembly, some National Assembly members, members of the Cross River State Executive Council members, Local Government Chairmen, Councilors.
While some Stakeholders like; Dame Princess Florence Ita-Giwa and High Chief Asuquo Ekpenyong amongst others witnessed the event.
Ironically, it will be recalled that, just two weeks ago, a delegation of the PDP led by the Bauchi State governor were in Calabar to lobby Ayade not to defect.
