Tinubu Asks Ayade to Step Aside for Rivals, Ex-Governor Says He Feels Betrayed

Former Cross River governor Ben Ayade says he feels deeply betrayed after President Bola Tinubu asked him to withdraw from the race for the North senatorial ticket. Ayade says the president made the request following a high-level meeting in Abuja. He vows to comply despite the personal agony it has caused him. He alleges the ticket will go to the same opponents who accused him of backing an “Islamisation agenda” and who brought violence and threats against his supporters during the 2023 elections. Ayade highlights his role as the first APC governor in the South-South, noting he delivered tens of thousands of votes for Tinubu, funded the party convention, and launched transport schemes ahead of the 2027 campaign.

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