Former Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade has publicly expressed anger over a directive he claims originated from President Bola Tinubu, instructing him to withdraw from the race for the Cross River North Senate seat. In a Facebook statement, Ayade described the directive as a betrayal, particularly because he believes it benefits political opponents who previously targeted him with religiously charged attacks during the 2023 elections. He recalled being accused by these opponents of promoting an Islamisation agenda as members of the All Progressives Congress, a party he said he helped grow in the South-South region. Ayade emphasized that he was the first governor from the region elected under the APC banner and claimed he delivered over 40,000 additional votes for Tinubu in Cross River compared to the Peoples Democratic Party.
He detailed his contributions to the party, including financial support, donation of vehicles and motorbikes for the APC national convention, and the launch of a free transportation initiative aimed at strengthening Tinubu's support ahead of 2027. Ayade also claimed credit for coining the slogan, "If Tinubu can fix Lagos, Tinubu can fix Nigeria," and noted he had previously stepped aside in Senate and governorship races in 2007 and 2015. Despite his personal disappointment, he affirmed continued support for President Tinubu and Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu, urging his followers to remain peaceful. "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," Ayade stated. He previously served as senator for Cross River North and two terms as state governor.
A former governor who claims he delivered votes and coined Tinubu's slogan is now told to step aside for the same opponents who once accused him of Islamisation. He says he has yielded before, but this time frames the directive as deeply personal. Loyalty within the APC appears conditional when past sacrifices are outweighed by new political calculations. The fallout reveals tensions between national directives and regional political histories.
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