Former Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade withdrew from the race for the Cross River North senatorial seat. He made the announcement on Monday through a statement on his official Facebook page.
Ayade said President Bola Tinubu asked him to step down during a high-level consultation in Abuja. He added that he decided to comply despite his personal disappointment.
In the statement, Ayade explained the sequence of events. He recalled that he received an invitation to Abuja for national consultations with the presidency. After the meetings, it became clear that Tinubu wanted him to withhold his Senate ambition.
“Mr President wants me to withhold my Senate ambition. I yield to his request even as I pour tears of ill treatment and agony,” Ayade stated. He described the directive as a betrayal but vowed to obey out of loyalty to the presidency.
Ayade noted that he had previously stepped down from other races in 2007 and 2015 at the request of leaders. He positioned his current decision as another act of sacrifice for party unity.
Ayade, a former senator who represented Cross River North from 2011 to 2015, planned to challenge incumbent Senator Jarigbe Agom-Jarigbe in the All Progressives Congress primaries for the 2027 elections. The withdrawal clears the path for other contenders in the district.
Political observers in Cross River State described the development as a significant shift. It highlighted the influence of national leadership on local ambitions within the APC.
Ayade urged his supporters to remain calm. He promised to continue serving the people of Cross River through other avenues while backing President Tinubu’s agenda. The former governor emphasized party discipline as key to future success.
