Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State, yesterday, dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for All Progressives Congress, APC.
Ayade formally declared for the party at the Cross River State Executive Council Chamber, Governor’s Office in Calabar after a two-hour meeting with seven APC governors led by the party’s interim chairman and governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni.
The other governors at the meeting were Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Machid Baduru of Jigawa, Abubakar Babade of Kebbi, Hope Uzodinma of Imo and Simon Lalong of Plateau.
On why he left PDP for APC, Ayade said: “We need all governors to recognise that it is not the party that matters, it is a character, it is an honour, it is a commitment to the vision of this great nation.
“We all need to work as teamwork ahead of the president by working towards building a prosperous country that the succession worries of 2023 will come without the fears and the worries the international community has for us.
“I believe that if everyone of us as governor joins hands with Mr President, I think we can sit on the same dining table and fashion out a way to govern this country.”
Speaking on the development, Buni said he and his team were in the state to formally welcome Governor Ayade to APC.
Buni said: “I am here on behalf of the APC family to welcome Governor of Cross River State formally to APC. As of today, he is the leader of the party in the state.”
Also present was the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva.