Ben Ayade, the former Cross River State governor, says President Bola Tinubu asked him to quit his Senate race.
Ayade made the disclosure Monday in a written statement. He explained that Tinubu made the request during a high-level meeting in Abuja.
"Mr President wants me to withhold my Senate ambition," Ayade said in the statement. "I yield to his request even as I pour tears of ill treatment and agony."
Ayade expressed deep disappointment with the directive. He suggested the president may not fully understand Cross River politics.
According to him, those benefiting from Tinubu's order had previously attacked APC members over the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket. "The people who turned our churches against Ayade and all of us in APC over the Muslim Muslim ticket are the beneficiaries of his instruction," he noted.
Ayade went further, alleging that some of these individuals used violence during the 2023 elections. He claimed police records would show they carried guns and machetes at collation centres on election day.
The former governor reminded Tinubu of his contributions to the ruling party. He stressed his role in building APC structures across South-South Nigeria.
Ayade noted he was the first APC governor in the entire South-South region. He claimed he delivered almost 40,000 votes above the PDP during the presidential election—a first for his state.
Despite his complaints, Ayade pledged to remain in the APC. He vowed continued loyalty to the party and its leadership.
In his words, he remains ready to support the president and the state government. He said he would work to ensure APC's success in Cross River if the order stands.
