Cross River state governor Professor Ben Ayade has defected to the ruling All Progressive Congress from the PDP confirming Speculations.
He announced his decision Thursday morning after a two hour meeting with six APC governors led by Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State at the government house Calabar.
An elated Buni said he and 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.”
APC governors who witnessed the event were 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.
Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva was also present.
Ayade hinged his defection on believe in President Buhari’s person. According to him “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” .
Cross River State has been a predominantly PDP state over the years.
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