Pres Buhari and Ben Ayade
HighlightPoliticsTop StoryTrending Story

2023 Presidential race: Consult widely before joining the fray, Pres. Buhari tells Gov. Ayade

289

Governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade, has declared  his intention to join the 2023 presidential race under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ayade, who noted that he has informed President Muhammadu Buhari of his intention, said the President did not object to the idea but advised him to do more consultations before making a public declaration.

According to the Cross River state governor, security, economy, electricity and employment will be his focus if he becomes the president of Nigeria come 2023.

“I  will replicate what l did in Cross River at the national level,” Ayade, who defected from PDP to APC in 2021, said on Tuesday.

Reacting to unconfirmed reports that the APC might present former President Goodluck Jonathan as its sole candidate for the 2023 presidential election, he said: “I have great respect for President Jonathan and so I have no challenges whatsoever.

“I believe that the party leadership will decide on the appropriate candidate that will take our party to victory.

“And so, if you heard me well, I am just part of the family absolutely loyal to the president, seeking to run for the president. And I am running.

“If at any point in time the political leadership of my party, the APC, feels that President Jonathan is the appropriate candidate that will actually take us to victory, I will turn my support for him.

“I will never question the powers of the leader of a country. I have never played a politics of antagonism or fight.

“If you know how I became governor, I became governor by offering to support whoever the governor wants and by stroke of luck, I became the candidate.”

“By the same token, I am only here to support the president’s candidate and by a stroke of luck, he said, you too go there and join the race and let me see,” Persecondnews quotes Ayade as saying.

About Ayade; Born  on March 2, 1968, Benedict Bengioushuye Ayade, is a Nigerian politician and came to power on 29 May 2015 as governor.

He ran successfully for the office of governor in 2015 on the platform of People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Before that, he was a member of the 7th Senate of Nigeria and was re-elected as the governor of Cross River State in the 2019 gubernatorial elections.

Persecondnews recalls that Ayade had on May 20, 2021 announced his defection to the All Progressives Congress in Calabar, the state capital at a rally and was received by Yobe Governor and ex-APC caretaker Committee Chair, Mai Mala Buni and other APC governors and chieftains.

Leave a comment

Related Articles

Ademola Lookman’s Atalanta Reclaims Top Spot in Serie A with Thrilling 3-2 Win Over Empoli

Atalanta surged back to the top of the Serie A standings with...

Horror as loverboy lures girl to his house, slaughters her for money rituals in Ogun

A young man and suspected ritualist, who specializes in luring beautiful girls...

Death toll climbs to 22 in Anambra palliative distribution tragedy

Death toll from the devastating stampede incident in Okija in the Ihiala...

Abuja, Anambra stampede fatalities: Pres. Tinubu cancels official engagements, mourns

President Bola Tinubu has cancelled his official events in Lagos as a...

Updated: Stampede at Anambra rice giveaway leaves 12 dead, 32 injured

At least, 12 people lost their lives and 32 others were injured...

Deadly Stampede in Abuja: Police Report 10 Fatalities, Several Injuries

A food distribution event at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama turned...

Ogun Information Ministry Vows to Intensify Mobilisation Efforts, Justifies N2bln 2025 Budget Proposal

The Ogun State Ministry of Information has assured the public of its...

Breaking: NNPC Ltd. Slashes Petrol Price to N899 Per Litre

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has announced a significant...

No Shutdown: NNPC Ltd. Denies Report on Old Port Harcourt Refinery

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has dismissed reports that...

Breaking: Kogi Governor, Yahaya Bello, Regains Freedom After Meeting Bail Terms

Former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has been released from Kuje Custodial...

Court Slaps MTN with N15m fine for disturbing customer me with unsolicited messages, caller tunes

In a landmark decision, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has slapped...

Bitter rivalry between Pasuma and Taye Currency shows no signs of abating

…There was no reason for Taye to be at Pasuma’s 40 years...

Update: Ekiti court grants Dele Farotimi N30m bail

Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun of an Ado Ekiti Magistrate’s Court has granted human...

Just in: Imprisoned Dele Farotimi appears in Ekiti Court amid tight security for ruling on bail application

Dele Farotimi, a prominent Human Rights lawyer and activist, arrived at the...

Just in: Imprisoned Dele Farotimi appears in Ekiti Court amid tight security for ruling on bail application

Dele Farotimi, a prominent Human Rights lawyer and activist, arrived at the...

Just in: National Sports Festival now to hold May 16- 30, 2025 – NSC

Following the postponement of the National Sports Festival, tagged “Gateway Games, Ogun...

Justice Minister slams Edo Gov. Okpebholo over suspension of LG chairmen, declares it illegal

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi,...

Domestic Crude Oil Sale Initiative: Tinubu’s Strategic Move Pays Off

President Bola Tinubu’s directive to sell crude oil and refined products in...

Saudi Arabia Eyes Hosting 2036 Olympics, Gains Backing from IOC Presidential Hopeful

Saudi Arabia is throwing its hat into the ring to host the...

Cyber attack hits National Bureau of Statistics website, recovery process initiated

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced on Wednesday night that its...