Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade has said that if, as Presidential aspirant, former Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan is eventually presented by his All Progressives Congress (APC) and he is asked to step down for him, he would obey the party’s directive.
“I believe that the party leadership will decide on the appropriate candidate that will take our party to victory. And so, if you heard me well, I am just part of the family; absolutely loyal to the president, seeking to run for the president.
“I am running. But at any point in time that the political leadership of my party, the APC feels that president Jonathan is the appropriate candidate that will actually take us to victory, I will turn my support for him.”
Governor Ayade, who spoke to newsmen today, April 26 shortly after an audience with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential villa, Abuja, said: “I have great respect for President Jonathan and so I have no challenges whatsoever.
“I am never, ever going to fight the establishment, the institution, the aristocracy, the spiritual vortex of which God has placed a leader of a country. I will never question the powers of the leader of a country. I have never played politics of antagonism or fight.
“I became governor by offering to support whoever the governor (Imoke) wanted and by stroke of luck, I became the candidate.
“By the same token, I am only here to support the president’s candidate and by a stroke of luck, he said, you too go there and join the race and let me see.”
According to Ayade, who had earlier earlier declared for the Presidential race on the platform of the ruling APC, President Buhari advised him to join the presidential race and that the the President advised him to make further consultations on his ambition.
The governor, who defected from the People’s Democratic Party to the APC less than two years ago, promised to replicate what he has done in Cross River State if he is elected president.
The governor insisted that the presidential ticket be zoned to the south as he possesses the capacity to deliver from where Buhari would have stopped in 2023.
He said that security, economy, electricity and employment will be his focus should he become the president.
