By Gideon Njoku
Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade, has joined the now ridiculous number of aspirants angling to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2003. He is coming out in the name of Buhari, and according to him, at the behest of Mr President.
After a meeting with Buhari at the State House, Abuja on Tuesday, Ayade told State House Correspondents that President Buhari has asked him to declare for the race. Ayade has, therefore, joined the race.
He, however, said his future would be subject to the final decision his party, the APC, would make.
Asked about the rumoured and unconfirmed reports that former President Goodluck Jonathan could eventually fly the APC’s ticket, Ayade said he would obey the party and Buhari and support Jonathan, emphasising that he has a lot of respect for Jonathan.
Ayade joins the list of other South-south aspirants from both the APC and the PDP seeking to succeed Jonathan. They include: Transportation Minister, Chibuike Amaechi, Governors Nyesom Wike and Udom Emmanuel of Rivers and Akwa Ibom States.
However, of all the aspirants from the APC, Ayade is the only one who has disclosed that President Buhari asked him to join the Presidential race.
A two-term Governor, elected under the banner of the PDP, Ayade inexplicably defected to the APC in 2020.
