From Ini Iyang, Calabar
Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Centre.
Ayade announced his defection at the Government House on Thursday when he received APC delegation led by the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, who also doubles as the Party's National Caretaker Committee chairman.
According to Buni his team were in the state to formally welcome Governor Ayade to the APC.
“I am here on behalf of the APC family to welcome His Excellency the Executive Governor of Cross River State formally to the APC. As from today he is the leader of the party in the state,” he said.
...Reveals Why He Dumped PDP For APC
And justifying why he dumped PDP which gave him the ticket to run for the office of Governor in Cross River State in 2019, Ayade said he was attracted to APC by the personality and character attributes of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He also identified the importance of taking Cross River, which has been emasculated economically following the ceding of its oil wells, to the Centre by aligning it with the ruling party.
“Having seen and known the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and his commitment to this country, his nationalistic disposition and all the efforts he has made to bring Nigeria to where we are today, it is obvious that at this point we needed to join hands with him to build a Nigeria that we can be proud of.
“We need all governors to recognize that it is not party that matters. It is character, it is honor, it is commitment to the vision of this great nation. We all need to as a team work ahead of the president by working towards building a prosperous country that the succession worries of 2023 will come without the fears and the worries the international community has for us.
“I believe that if everyone of us as governor joins hands with Mr President, I think we can sit on the same dining table and fashion out a way to govern this country.”
... Those That Witnessed The Defection
The APC governors in attendance at the event marking the defection of Ben Ayade to the ruling party are Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Solomon Lalong of Plateau State, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and his Jigawa state counterpart, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar.
Others are the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, the State deputy governor, Prof Ivara Esu, Speaker of the state house of assembly, Rt. Hon. Eteng Williams Jones and members of the state house of assembly, some National Assembly members, members of the Cross River State Executive Council members, local Government chairmen, councilors and some stakeholders, including Dame Princess Florence Ita-Giwa and High Chief Asuquo Ekpenyong.
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