Former Cross River State governor, Ben Ayade, has said President Bola Tinubu asked him to withdraw from the race for the Cross River North senatorial seat.

Ayade disclosed this in a statement on Monday, explaining that his decision to step down followed what he described as a direct request from the president after a meeting in Abuja.

“Recall I was invited to return to Abuja for a high level national consultation with the presidency. 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.

The former governor expressed disappointment over the development, suggesting that the president might not have been fully briefed on political realities in Cross River State.

“I trust that Mr President may not be aware that the people who turned our churches against Ayade and all of us in APC over the Muslim Muslim ticket and accused us of islamisation of Cross River State are the beneficiaries of his instruction,” he added.

Ayade further alleged that some of those benefiting from the directive were involved in violence during the 2023 elections.

“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 (police records available) on the day of Mr President’s election,” he said.

Highlighting his political contributions, Ayade reminded the president of his role in strengthening the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-South region.

“Mr President may recall that I was the first APC Governor in the whole of South South Nigeria that built the new APC that we enjoy today. 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 stated.

Despite his grievances, Ayade said he would remain loyal to the party and support its candidates.

He added that he is willing to work with the president and the Cross River State government to ensure the success of the APC in the state If the directive stands. (Daily Trust)