Cross
River governor, Professor Ben Ayade says he is a member of the People’s
Democratic Party (PDP) who simply has a good working relationship with
President Muhammadu Buhari for the good of the people of his state.
Ayade who stated this recently while fielding questions from newsmen
at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport Calabar reasoned that good
governance should be the next step after elections.
“We did not seek office for the mere sake of politics; politics is
for service to your people, it is not politics for the sake of politics,
and so for me, I am focused on ensuring that I work with President
Buhari for the good of my people in Cross River State”, Ayade said.
He disclosed that his relationship with President Buhari is based on
the latter’s character, person and integrity, pointing out that these
qualities have tremendously endeared him to believing that “if I share
my feelings with him, he won’t look at me as a southern governor or PDP
governor and he has shown that in all ways.”
The governor who frowned on what he termed “cannibalistic style of
politics where everything is seen from the perspective of the next
elections,” rhetorically asked: “how can a country spend its time
running election and copying a democracy that is not consistent with our
habits as a people?”.
Ayade averred that in his bid to construct a new economy for Cross
River through the signature projects, there is need for a good
relationship with President Buhari at all stages, adding that, “he
(Buhari) did not seek election to be APC president, he sought to be the
president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and that is who he is and
what he has continued to exhibit.”
The governor said: “People will imagine that I should be fighting the
President, people will imagine that as a PDP governor, how am I going
to meet with the president and when I get such conversations, I feel
pained because the whole nation now revolves around the fulcrum of
politics.”
The governor said despite having a good relationship with the President, he remains a strong member of the PDP.
His words: “I am a PDP governor in all my spirit. I am a strong member of the party and I believe in the party.”
The governor commended Cross Riverians for being supportive of his
relationship with Buhari which he reciprocated with his first state
visit to the state for the groundbreaking ceremony of the superhighway,”
noting: “I think it is only natural for us to show him this level of
respect by going to him for consultation, giving him progress report and
all the support he needs as a president to succeed.”
I am still PDP Governor, Ayade replies doubters
